Me
by I.Hate.Running
Summary: She has always lived in the shadow of her father, but not any more! She has decided to make people know her for her own! She isn't just a rich kid, but so much more - and she will show them that! All of them! Starting with the people at Seishun Gakuen!
1. Changes

-- Changes --

Voices were heard from behind the study, oak-door. Hushed, arguing. The woman smiled and shook her head. "Those two ..." She muttered and put her ear against the keyhole. She could barely hear them.  
"I'm telling you, I don't always want to be _your child_!" The angry voice of her only child could be heard. "I want to be _me_!"  
"So you are saying that would solve all of the problems? It isn't you either!"  
"I don't care. I want this, and even if you try ... you can't stop me."  
"I'm not going to. If this is what you want …"  
Footsteps were heard and the woman quickly moved away from the door. Shortly after the door was slung open and the girl looked at her mother with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Hi mom!" She said and flashed a smile. Then she walked past her, humming.  
_She had gotten her will …_

* * *

As the scissor cut more and more off of her hair, the more positive she got. It was the right thing to do! She could feel it! But then again, her gut feeling had never been that great … No, she had to keep her mind straight!  
Always had she been known as his child - not for herself! None of her friends from school was even her real friends - they just wanted the fame emitting from her.  
"Leeches ..." She muttered annoyed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. The private hairdresser of her moms looked down on her, but understood the girl was only talking to herself. The rich girl found a magazine and looked at the front page with a sigh.  
_That really doesn't help on the mood!_ She thought.  
The headline read with big, yellow letters: _Billionaires Cat-Fight!_  
O-kay, perhaps she had crossed the line just a little bit, but still … It wasn't her fault! That damn girl had annoyed her like no one ever had even tried before. She had hold back at first, but in the end …  
No, she didn't want to think of it! Happy thought … like her yoga-instructor tried to tell her every single time they met.  
In stead she threw the magazine away again, watched it hit the wall and looked into the mirror hanging in front of her. If she didn't already know it was her, she would never have guessed. She almost got shocked … _almost_.  
She smirked.  
_Perfect …_

* * *

God, how her mother had laughed, when she saw her … That really didn't help anything.  
"You look like …" She tried saying, but just couldn't get the words further than to her lips. "Like- …"  
"You know mom, that's the point." She said annoyed and passed her up the stairs. Rolling her eyes, she looked a final time down onto the light-blonde woman, crunching down onto the polished floor in a fit of laughter. _And people call me kid? At least I am one!_  
Then she passed her butler and opened the door into her room. She dropped onto the bed and just stared at the suitcase in front of her, half packed, but still not entirely. Once again those doubting thoughts returned to her. What was she doing? Would she really give it all up? What would happen? Would anyone believe it?  
Thousand and thousand of thoughts ran through her mind, and she tried choking them all with a pillow. But in vain – they continued popping up. _It's going to be just great. And if it now should get messed up … I can always return home!_ She tried telling herself …  
The only problem was, she didn't really believe it …  
She sighed.  
_Shut up mind!_ It became quiet … _Thank you …_

* * *

Your POV

You almost glared at the little ball in your hand. Since when weren't you able to hit it? You had tried hitting it … over and over again. But nothing had happened. It had just bounced of, away from you. It felt like it was ignoring you …  
_Ok, calm down … there's probably an explanation!_  
You blew one of your two bangs away from your face, since it had decided to get into your eye. It watered … that actually did hurt! Your now short hair at least wasn't in your way anymore. Total freedom! You snorted and shook your head. The Friday, two days ago, you had walked up to the principal, glared at him and said you would leave the school. Which you had.

So long wonderful, deluxe food – welcome cantina food!

Bye-bye soft, comfy chairs – hello hard, wooden ones!

Arividercy perfect, rich school – nice to meet you, new, crabby one …!

Fine, that didn't sound too great or anything, bet hey - you liked sarcasm! But you were starting to get tired of the other one anyways. And the people there? Brr ... All snobs and 'oh-look-at-me!' - it was too much, you wanted to - sorry for the language - puke or something. At least it made you sick! You really didn't have any true friends, they all just wanted to hang out with you. Why? Of course because of _him_ ... Your dad! Just because he had to be the richest person of all their parents - together.  
Now, who didn't want to hang out with the rich-girl?  
You rolled your eyes, still glaring at the ball - but not really. Your mind had trailed off one out of oh so many times onto that trail of thoughts. But still, you couldn't stop yourself from smiling. There had been great memories too ... just, not as many as there had been bad ones.

_Positive!_ You told yourself.  
You shook the thoughts of you and focused on the ball. That little ball ...

It may be, you had only played tennis for two years now, but it really was something you were good at! In two years you had played in many tournaments - and won. Another thing the press could go wild over. _Billionaire AND Tennis-Player!__  
_Indeed, after your first tournament you had claimed as yours, you couldn't move outside your house unless you wanted to get attacked. That was one of the things you really did hate ... _The Press._

_Dammit! _You had done it again. You really did have problems with focusing. Shaking your head furiously, you raised your red and black racket, threw the ball up and slung it.  
Nothing, what so ever, happened. It just rolled away after hitting the ground. You sighed and kicked it away. This was really getting annoying!  
"You should just continue trying." A voice said.  
You turned around ...  
There he stood.  
That smile.  
_No, I'm a BOY!__

* * *

_


	2. Keep the Faith

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis!

And sorry it isn't very long.

* * *

-- Keep the Faith --

_Uh ..._ You thought slowly. You understood you were being rude, staring at him like that. _Tsk. _But then again, he stared at you too. Slowly, your mouth curled into a smile, but nothing compared to his, so wide his eyes were closed. _Can he actually see?__  
_"Excuse me?" You asked him, trying to remember what he had said. "Mind repeating?"  
"You should continue trying." He said, once again. You mentally shook your head. _Right ...!__  
_"Uh ... Yeah." You made your way over to the nearest of the yellow balls and picked it up. Absentminded, you stared at it, entering your own world once again - forgetting the stranger behind you._ He's right, I should keep trying. Not in tennis ... But- If I just keep on fighting to be _me _then it might work in the end. I guess it will pay off._ You spun it between your fingers. The boy kept looking at you, waiting for - at least - an answer.  
But that was something that likely wasn't coming. Or- not for now anyways. You kept on thinking it over, looking at it from all possible angles -_ what if? _and _what about? _In the end, you discovered - you were being rude once again.  
"I'm sorry!" You apologized. "I have problems focusing on something for more than five seconds." You laughed nervously and looked back at him. "Err ... I- ... Well, I forgot what you said - _again_!"  
"I just said, you should just continue trying."  
"Right ..." Your eyes started getting foggy again, but you snapped out of it. "See? It really is annoying ..." You muttered, massaging your head. "But- ..." You smiled. "Thanks."  
"Huh?"  
You didn't answer him, but just ran off, waving at him. The boy was left behind, puzzled. "What just happened?" His smile faded a bit. Weird ... But it returned right away. "What a peculiar boy."

You slipped inside the black limo, while you thought it over. _It's going to be just great! _Your really! short chit-chat with the boy had been somehow inlightning for you. Even thought he had only said about four words, it had been just enough for you. _If I ever meet him again ..._ You thought. _Then I got to thank him.__  
_You noticed you were still holding something in your hand. You looked down and smiled as you saw the tennis ball. Your hand was closed tightly around it ...  
_Oh no! _Your eyes widened. _I got to wear a uniform!_

_

* * *

Beep! Beep! Beep!__  
_Your alarm went on, and you slowly opened your eyes, wondering. _Why do I even have one? I could just make a maid wake me ...__  
_None the less, you reached out and tried hitting it - making it pretty much just die. In stead you made it topple over from the bed stand and onto the floor. The oh-so annoying sound continued. _Beep! Beep!__  
_"Yeah, alright. I've heard you." You jumped out of bed, and - lucky you - hit directly down onto it. _Bee-! CRASH! _Your gaze was turned downwards, and you sighed. You lifted your foot and stared at the remaining pieces of your alarm clock. "My bad?"  
As if a miracle, you managed to get your lazy behind all the way down the stairs and into the dining-room, where your mother was already digesting her breakfast - how ... uh ... delicious! You kept an eye on hear as you pulled out a chair and sat down.  
"What would the miss want for breakfast today?" Asked one of your family's - many! - butlers.  
"Err ..." You turned your head slightly and looked out of the window. _God, that sky really is blue ...__  
_"Oi! Kid, wake up!" Your dad had arrived ...  
That really kicked you out of your daydreaming. "Huh?" Blinking furiously, you puzzled looked at the butler. "Right! Breakfast!" _Now, what would I- ...?__  
_"You're doing it again."  
"Ah! Pancakes! I'll just have pancakes."  
"Pancakes it is then."  
Blinking a single time, the butler had disappeared. _Scary ...__  
_"Now, little freak, looking forward to starting in a new school?" Your father asked you, smirking, while taking out today's newspaper.  
_Freak? _You looked dreamingly at the fork and knife on the table before you, wondering if he would perhaps drag you all the way into court about it - if he survived of course. You thought it best, if you didn't throw them at him ... You might have hit your mom! 


	3. Introductions

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters from the anime!

* * *

-- Introductions --

You had swallowed your pancakes quickly - even though your tummy started hurting afterwards - but your dad just wouldn't shut up! _Just because he's the richest man on the entire planet ... _You thought annoyed. He really didn't have any manors. You were his _daughter _not _employee! _They wouldn't kill him, since they'd loose their jobs, but you ... that were different. You _would _kill him!  
... Only if he really got on your nerves though ...  
And anyways, if he died you'd inherit like 10 of all the money in the word. Oh yeah ... it was worth thinking about ...  
You jumped up the stairs and as you opened the door into your room, you found your new school-uniform on the bed. You picked the jacket up and examined it slowly. Itchy fabric ... that would be a real joy. But the colour, you didn't really mind, but you weren't sure ... _Now, is it black or some sort of grey? _You really did think a lot about the rather not important information's.

_

* * *

Hello everyone!__  
__My name's Nadjai Mikoishi, and you have probably heard that last name before. Mikoishi ... That's right! My dad's the richest person on Earth! Not sure about in space ... since ... well, yeah.__  
__Ha! And I'm the only heir. Yay for me! Now, you probably all think of me as a stupid blonde or something, just having no purpose in life - except using money. Well, I'm not! At least ... not much.__  
__Anyways! I'm not blonde, as you can see! It's sort of brown, if I should classify it. But ... It's not my real hair-colour - but I have no idea what so ever what it normally is - can't remember! That's probably because I somehow like to dye it - a lot!__  
__My eyes are - I think - green. And that IS my normal colour ... I don't use contacts with colours, I don't use at all! But maybe I should ... I've always wanted to try completely white eyes. That would be ... I'd use the word different there._

_What else is there to say? A lot of course, but I don't want to tell you everything about my life! __  
__But, I was born the 1st of January at 00:01 AM - lucky me! So the entire world somehow seems to celebrate it - weird, but I guess I'm famous! This is here I'm going to flash a couple of times with my long, wonderful eyelashes and giggle like the sweet girl I am ... but ... err ...__  
__What ever.__  
__I'm thirteen - so I just entered my teenage-years ... Lucky parents! I love to make their life miserable, but I guess all teenagers do? Right, I got a mom and a dad - plus a million butlers and maids. They are like family - well, a family fetching you everything you want! Like my dad would ever do that ... he'd ground me for years if I tried._

_I should probably explain why a rich girl like me is here, and well ... This isn't my favourite school at all! It's old, sort of smells and ... nothing compared to the other one - which I came from. But I got tired of it there and wanted to try the exciting life of you poor people! I want to see how you can manage to stay alive and life your lives as you now do!_

_Anything else? Err, this is hard ...__  
__Okay! My hobbies! I spent most of my time trying to avoid the press ... who's annoying me like hell, and that can take some time to shake them off. But if I make it, then I shop - yay for shopping! I love to just buy a lot of clothes, which I never use ... I like to use money. A LOT!__  
__But I don't use the entire day buying Gucci and Prada etc. I play tennis! Yeah, for two years now. And I'm good.__  
__Junior Champion last year and I intent to take the trophy this year too. So, you can probably imagine how good I am. Yeah, yeah ... don't make me blush!__  
__Else I like to just hang out and chill ... and eat. I really do seem to fancy eating. But I don't gain weight - even more lucky me!_

_But what I do the most ... that would be dreaming. I can't focus for more than a second, then I've totally forgotten it. If I look at - let's take something really boring, like - a leaf! Then I can stare at it for ages, maybe deciding what colour it is or just what it's doing on the ground._

_That is actually something I'm doing right now ..._

_I can't really tell you all who I am, since that would ruin my plan! I am a BOY!_

_

* * *

_

"Jai Mikoi!" You stood up and quickly introduced yourself. Then you sat down again. You had only held the very long speak in your mind ... if you had said it out loud ...  
Here, in your new class - number 2, year 1 - you were only Jai Mikoi, a new boy in school. A transfer. And that was the way you liked it. Here, you were going to make friends without them all staring deamily at your wallet. No! You would win them over with your flashy personality and charm!  
_Right! Let the fight begin!

* * *

_


	4. Fool

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis, nor the characters from either the manga and anime!

* * *

-- How to make a total fool out of yourself! --

You slowly rested your head against the tree and let out a sigh. This really was boring. But then again ... You hadn't expected anything else, had you? Though, not even a single person had tried talking to you, looked at you - not anything! Normally, at your old school, as soon as you stepped inside you got tackled by a bunch of girls, wanting their fashion-tips, what-to-do-with-the-certain-boy-tips, etc, etc.  
_Bla, bla ..._ You thought. You pulled your light blue bag up to your chest and looked down onto the pile of books and papers you had already been floated with. The teachers were out to get you, you were sure of it!  
You sighed.  
It wasn't that bad ... But, your charm hadn't paid of yet. _Don't worry, it'll come. All in time! _You reassured yourself. A single leave fell down in front of you, and you followed it with your eyes. Down, down. But then you came to a halt. There he stood ... That boy ...  
You smiled. _I wonder if he remembers me? _You kept your eyes at him at first, but then you slowly moved for the guy with him. A red-haired, happy senior - it looked like. _Sugar ..._ He really made you think of that.  
Then you noticed. They were coming your way. Slowly, you straightened up and casually searched through your bag pack - trying to find just something. But secretly, your eyes wandered up at them. They were even closer now ...  
_Boy ... _You reminded yourself. _Even though ... sooooo hot!__  
_In the end, finding it the only way to kill off the thought, you slammed yourself in the head with a book. Just when they passed ... Then again, at least _that _made them look at you.  
The redhead stared weirdly at you, but continued walking. That was, of course, until he noticed his friend. "Oi! Fuji!" He called out.  
But the other boy just looked at you. "Haven't we met before?" He asked with a smile - though, his eyebrow was slightly raised.  
Completely embarrassed, you looked up at him. You forced out a smile. "Yeah ..."  
"I knew it."  
The redhead returned with a tilted head, curiously looking at you. "Knew what?"  
You stumbled to your feet and dusted yourself off from grass. Then you introduced yourself. "I'm Jai Mikoi, nice to meet you!"  
"I'm Fuji Shuushuke." The blonde said.  
"Eiji Kikumaru!"  
You scratched your head, thinking. "I'd ..." You started. "Get going." And then, in the blink of an eye, you had grabbed your bag and disappeared.  
"Huh?" Eiji asked puzzled. "Where'd he go?"  
Fuji's brow furrowed. "_He?_"

* * *

You slammed your head at the wall. _Way to go Nadjai! That really went smoothly! Now they can't wait to become friends with you! I-di-ot! _A couple of teachers passed by and looked slightly worried at you, but let you be none the less. In the end you pulled yourself together. _That might none have gone too smoothly, but tomorrow is another day! Yes sir! _You nodded to yourself and started walking for class.

You opened the door into your classroom and found it quite deserted. _Everyone must have left already ... _You went straight for your table where you placed your bag on the table. You picked up your books and stuffed them down into it. Then you looked at the blackboard to see what ever homework you had gotten. Afterwards you made a few notes about it in your calendar. _Yay! Math! My favorite ... _You sighed and shut the little black book. And so it got stuffed down to the others in your bag pack, which you slung over your shoulder. You bowed down and picked up your red and white tennis bag, with you grabbed around hard.  
As you walked for the door, it suddenly got opened again and a girl entered. She stopped up and looked at you. "I'm sorry! I didn't know anyone was in here!" She apologized while bowing furiously.  
"Ah! It doesn't matter!" You reassured her, scared she'd might faint or something, the way she acted. "But ..." You looked closer at her. "You aren't in this class, are you?"  
"No, I'm just here to pick up my sister's science-book. She forgot it and has already gone home."  
"I see." You smiled sweetly at her. "That's nice of you, doing something like that for another person."  
She smiled, but quickly turned away. She walked for a table, where a single book lay. She picked it up and looked back at you. And so she moved for the door again, her eyes fixed on you. You didn't feel too comfortable about that look ...

You knew it too well yourself.

You had that when ever you saw a hot boy 

_Nah! She doesn't! _You told yourself. But ...  
"So, what's your name?" You asked, deciding to forget the small thought about _love _and in stead being polite.  
"Reika Shiina!" She introduced.  
"Nice to meet you, I'm Jai Mikoi."  
She smiled a small smile, but then she was gone.  
"Aha ..." You said, not really understanding what just happened. _Wouldn't it just be great if girls started falling for me? _You laughed. _I know I'm hot and all, but ... now really, I don't think so!_

* * *

You walked around the corner, following the sound of tennis-balls being hit. You could feel the excitement come forth, this would be interesting. You halted at the nearest bench where you put down your tennis-bag. You opened the zipper and pulled out a cap. You pulled it down over your hair, so it covered your eyes. Once again you closed the bag and took it up.  
"Now, where to go?" You asked yourself. You looked around, and your eye got caught by some guys playing at the court furthest away from you. You made your way closer to it, while keeping an eye on the two playing. One looked like a junior, maybe senior, you weren't sure, while the other you were sure of. You had seen him in your class - if you remembered correctly, he was sleeping? Something like that.  
"Take this, Echizen!" The taller of the two exclaimed as he hit a smash. The other, Echizen, hit it back. It looked easy, but you saw different. That had been a powerful smash. _Not bad ...__  
_You walked closer and looked through the net at the match. The match continued, and both showed great skill ... Nothing you couldn't handle, but still. Compared to others ...  
You glanced at some of the other players, not even able to hit the ball. _Keh!_

_Very Interesting ..._

* * *


	5. Fan Girls

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis, neither any of the characters from the anime and manga!

* * *

-- Fan girls --

You somehow started getting bored, watching the match and so you decided to check out the rest. You smiled slightly as you saw the two guys from earlier. You had a feeling they would be tennis-player. _Fuji and Eiji, wasn't it? _You thought, trying to recall their names. _I'm quite sure that was it. Wasn't it? _Wandering into your own thoughts again, trying to remember what they were called, you didn't notice the two girls passing by. One of them, a girl with dark-brown hair, saw you and paused. She quickly tapped the other on the shoulder, and she too, stopped.  
That was the girl from earlier, in the classroom. She whispered something to the other, and they went into a fit of giggles.  
The one looked at the other, and then they took a deep breathe, and started walking over to you. "Excuse me, Jai-kun?" She asked. You snapped out of your day-dreaming and looked at the two girls.  
"Hello." You smiled. "Reiku-chan, am I right?"  
"Reika, but close enough."  
"Ah, sorry about that, I'm so bad at remembering names. But I promise, next time I'll have it right!" You promised her. She smiled too. But then the other girl gave her an elbow in the ribs.  
"Yes! This is my friend Minako Aino."  
"Nice to meet you."  
Both girls just stared at you with _the look. _You laughed slightly in your head. _I think they like me ..._ "So, what brings you here about?" You asked, trying to get a conversation going as you felt the air being a little ... tense.  
"We've just come to watch the regulars play."  
"Oh ..." You turned your head and looked back at the players. "How come?" You smiled. "Because maybe ... You like them?"  
Both girls gasped. "N-no! Of course n-not! We r-respect them!" Minako tried explaining you. You gave her a look like 'oh-really?' They turned quite red in the heads from blushing, if you weren't mistaking. You waved it off. "Don't worry." You gave them a wink. "I'll keep your secret."  
They went into a nervous laughter, both of them, making you get slightly freaked out. _Commoner girls are like this? _You thought. _How weird. _"Well ..."  
"Oh, Jai-kun?" Reika asked you slowly. "You play tennis?" She pointed to your tennis-bag. You shook it a little.  
"Yeah, some. I was thinking about joining this club, but I'm not quite sure were I'll sign up."  
"We can help you with that!" Minako said enthusiastic. "Right, Reika? Neh, neh?"  
"Sure ..."  
"Thanks, that would be a great help."  
The girls looked like it was the best day of their lives. Of course did make you sigh. You didn't have any intentions of making anyone start a fan-club here ... too. That would just be perfect. Then you'd have screaming girls running around for you where ever you went. _Oh no ... the only place I'd be save then would be ... The Men's Room?! Oh my ...__  
_But none the less, you followed the girls as they led you on.

* * *

"It's just in there, Jai-kun." Reika said and pointed to a door. "That's the coach's room."  
"I see, thank you very much you two. I owe you." You gave them a V-sign. They giggled - again! You slowly knocked on the door, and after you had heard an 'enter' you turned the door-knob and it opened. Your head popped inside.  
"What can I help you with?" An elderly woman asked, sitting at a desk. Through the windows behind her, you could see the players on the ground below.  
"Um, I was told to talk to you about joining the tennis-club."  
"That is true, I'm the coach, Ryuzaki."  
"Nice to meet you Ryuzaki-sensei! I'm-"  
"_Nadjai Mikoishi_, I know."  
You froze. "No, no! _Nadjai Mikoishi_? Now really! I'm Jai Mikoi."  
"Sure, and I'm a famous opera singer."  
You raised an eyebrow. "You are?!"  
"No ..."  
"Oh."  
"Anyways." She opened a drawer and took out a pile of papers. "This is your file." She put it on the table for you to take. Slowly you picked it up and looked at a picture of you on the front page. _It's not the best picture ever ...__  
_"You do know, normally we receive the files from the old school when a student transfer to here, but you were a different case. We never did get one, and that was weird." She motioned for a chair at the desk, indicating this would perhaps take some time. "So, we tried finding you in the data-base, but guess what?"  
"I wasn't there." You said with a sigh.  
"Correct. Then our principal tried other places, for example the Internet ... But before he had a chance of finding anything at all, he got a peculiar phone-call."  
This made you sigh again. You know who it had been from  
"My dad?"  
"Indeed, yes. He explained the your ... in the lack of other words ... _condition_."  
_Sounds like an illness ...__  
_"Not the reason, just how you had swapped. First, our principal wasn't so sure about _it _but I heard the school got donated quite an amount of money shortly after, which might explain it."  
_Money doesn't solve everything, dad. Okay, in this case maybe, but ...__  
_"I'm not going to ask you why, but just inform you that the staff here knows it - or most of them does. All are we ready to keep your secret." She leaned back in the chair. "But, I have a question."  
"Shoot."  
"I have this idea ... are you trying to hide from the press or something like that? To keep a low profile at the moment?"  
"Err ..." You scratched your head. _You could probably say that. _"Yeah, pretty much."  
"Ah. Then I'd give you an advise." She smirked. "Turn down on the charm, else this school would soon be filled with fans."  
You laughed. "Tell me about it. Now ..." You closed your file. "About that tennis?"  
"Yes."

* * *


	6. Avoiding Fan Girls

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or anything in the anime and manga!

* * *

-- Avoiding Fan Girls ... That's easy enough! --

"So," the coach smiled at you. "Welcome to Seishun Gakuen's tennis club."  
You slowly got up, your eyes on the players outside. "Thanks ..." You muttered slowly. You were to excited about finally getting to play someone again - or, someone you hadn't had the chance of playing before. You didn't really listen to the coach. She sighed.  
"Are you even paying attention?"  
"Not really ..."  
"Ah."  
You smiled as you saw a player get hit in the head with a ball. _Idiot ... _"So, who are the regulars?" You walked closer to the window and searched around for the best of the players. The coach stood up too and looked down next to you. She pointed at one. "That, is the captain- ..."

* * *

No ones POV

"Oishi!" Eiji complained, as they - after making some fault - had been set to run laps around the courts by the captain. "It's no fair!"  
"Just keep running." He told his doubles-partner. "Else you'd just got to run further."  
"I know- !" Suddenly, a yell made them both get shocked. Eiji bumped into Oishi, sending them both down onto the ground. One on top of the other. "Huh?"  
"Jai-kun!"  
Oishi tried pushing the quite heave acrobat of him, but that seemed quite hard - also because Eiji were too busy watching what was going on and had no intention of moving just yet. "Off, Eiji!" Oishi ordered. "As the vice-captain I-"  
"Jai-kun!" The girl yelled again, and the two regulars saw a boy come out from the school and stop up. Hi waved at the girl, and soon after another girl popped up. "You got in?" The other asked.  
"Yeah, thank you very much for the help you two." He said, making both girls go completely red. Oishi noticed the boys tennis-bag.  
"Oh, a player?" 

"Eh?" Eiji looked closer. "Ah! That's Jai-Jai!"  
"_Jai-Jai_ ...?"  
"Nya!" Eiji finally got up and off the other. Now he was starting to walk for the boy and two girls. "Jai-Jai!" He called. The boy looked at him, a slightly raised eyebrow. First he looked like 'what-the?' but then he seemed to remember.  
"Ah! Eiji-sempai?"  
"Hoi, hoi!"  
The two girls looked idolizing on him. Then they whispered to each other. "He already know Eiji-sempai?!" They looked like the had hearts in their eyes. 'Jai-Jai' looked at them, slightly concerned.  
"Right ..." He slowly moved the bag for the shoulder. "I'd better get going. Later." He told them all, then he started walking.  
At first, the girls were too busy _drooling _over him, but then they noticed their hero being gone.  
"Oh, Jai-kun! Wait up!" They quickly followed.  
Eiji was left behind, puzzled. "Eh?" Oishi walked over.  
"What just happened?"  
"Err ..."

* * *

Your POV

"Really, girls, I got to get going." You tried explaining the two, but both just smiled dreamily at you, probably not listening. "Please, stop following me."  
"Ah ..." They sighed.  
_This is starting to get awkward ... _You kept on walking for the bus-stop, and they kept on following you. "I'll see you both tomorrow!"  
"Ah ..."  
_Really awkward ... _"Girls?"  
"Jai-kun?"  
"Ye'?"  
"Do you have a girlfriend?"  
"..." _I didn't see that coming ... _"No, not at the moment."  
"Ah ..."  
You sat down on the bench. There would still be ten minutes until the bus would _finally! _arrive. You sighed and found your calendar. You looked at your homework.  
"I didn't know boys used those." Reika said, returning to reality - and not the Jai-and-I-sitting-in-a-tree.  
"Uh ..." Okay, mostly, it was girls using these - and hey! You were one, but then again ... "I think it's a good idea to write things down in stead of forgetting it. Rather being a little _girly _and make your homework, than being a _man _and don't." You told them.  
The two looked at you like 'what a man!'.  
_Sooooo scary! _Starting to panic, you looked for the bus, praying it would arrive before time. _Come on ...! _You closed the calendar once again and stuffed it down into your bag. You looked at your wristwatch.  
"Are you good in school?" Minako asked you, smiling a quite charming smile.  
"Not really." You said slowly, keeping your eyes on the cars passing by. "I'd say I'm pretty normal at that point. You?"  
"I so much can't figure out anything." She laughed. "Are you good at math?"  
"It's my best subject, but I'm still only just normal at that too."  
"Then, maybe ..." She paused. _Oh, like I don't know what's coming now! _"You could help me?"  
You looked at her, knowing her intentions. _I highly doubt that would ever work on me ... _"Err, perhaps?"  
"Then you could help me too?!" Reika joined in on the fun.  
"Perhaps."  
"That would be so fun!"  
Frantically you looked for the bus. The then minutes had pasted! And there! Your saviour had arrived. You stumbled up. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, shall we? My bus is here."  
The two girls looked clueless at you, as you entered the bus. You paid for a ticket and waved at the two, as it drove away. You sat down and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God that's over ..." You muttered.  
"Hi!" A voice said.  
Slowly, you turned your head at the person sitting next to you. It was another girl, wearing Seigaku's school-uniform. _Oh boy! _"Hi?"

* * *


	7. Article

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters!

* * *

-- Article --

"I'm home!" You called out as the butler opened the door for you. You quickly pulled off your jacket and handed it over to him along with your bags. "Ah, that's right ... please bring my racket to the tennis-court and take out my normal attire." You told him now you were at it.  
Just then your mom came out into the great hall. "Welcome home sweetie!" She hugged you - something she normally didn't.  
"Okay, mom. Who have you run over with the Ferrari this time?" You asked her with a sigh. She pulled away and looked innocently at you. She smiled.  
"Now really, why do you think that?! Can a mother not hug her daughter anymore in this house?"  
"Sure, but you only do it when you've hit someone."  
"It _wasn't _someone ..." She muttered.  
"Eh?" Your eyes narrowed. "It wasn't any of my stuff, now was it?"  
"It wasn't my fault! It just lay in the driveway!"  
"Mom?" You said your tone dangerously low. Your foot tapped on the polished floor. "_What _was it?"  
"Your Yo-yo." She muttered.  
You gasped. "Not the yo-yo!"  
"I'm sorry!" She apologized.  
"Ah! My world is falling apart!" You turned around and dramatically glided away. Up the stairs.  
"I'll buy you a new one?" You mom tried calling from downstairs. "Sorry?"  
"Never mind mom!" You called back. You dropped onto your bed as you had entered your room. On the pillow, next to you, lay a white tank top and a blue skirt, the attire you normally wore when playing tennis. You stared at it, and then onto your schoolbag, placed against the wall. Now? What to do?

Tennis?

Homework?

You sighed. You'd better take the homework first. Ah, the best idea up to date! But then again ... wasn't it just a _little _bit more fun to hit a ball all by yourself against a wall, than trying to figure out the biggest riddle of the entire universe?

2 2

Gasp! Indeed, the greatest riddle of all times! Oh yes, you really had a way to blow everything up to something ten times bigger - just to entertain yourself when alone.

You really were pathetic ...

Suddenly, by the knock on the door; you got painfully dragged out into reality. "Hm?" You called.  
"What's up nub cake?" He asked from the other side of the door. You rolled your eyes. Of course he couldn't let you be for just a single day! Oh no! Now, why did he _always_ have to insult you? Had you ever done anything - anything at all! - against him?  
Okay - you had. But, he didn't have to call you those names every time he was in the same room as you. "What is it, dad?" You asked him annoyed. His head popped inside. He had that goofy grin plastered on his face - something was up. Something, not being good for you.  
"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to say hi to my favourite daughter!"  
_I think I've heard something like that once before today ..._ You thought, thinking of your mother. "What's with you then?"  
"Wha'?! I just wanted to say hi!"  
"Jeez dad, you think I'm stupid?" You laid down onto the bed. "I'm not!" You quickly cut in, as he opened his mouth to answer that certain question. "Just, get to the case!"  
"Oh, fine! I just can't make fun with you now can I?"  
"No."  
He pushed the door open and walked in and over to you, while he absentminded fumbled with a magazine. Your eyes were fixed onto that one ... knowing _that _would probably not be anything good. He threw it down next to you. "I thought you'd want to read it."  
You glared at it. _That's just perfect ...__  
_"Well, I'll see you! I got a meeting with this annoying person ..." Your dad mumbled and left the room. You didn't even notice - not that you cared anyways - you were still staring at the magazine. At the article on the front page. "That really is just _PERFECT_!" You said, really, really annoyed:

_WHERE IS NADJAI?!___

_It has now been more than three days since anyone have seen the normally, press-mad, billionaire-daughter, Nadjai Mikoishi. Where is she? What is she doing?__  
__Last, she was seen at a party, a birthday for one of her friends, where she once again had to make everyone see her. How she did that? Of course, the easiest way was to tackle another rich girl and have a cat-fight in the fountain.__  
__An embarrassing story for the Mikoishi-family, but that has just been one of many incidents - involving the only heir to the Throne of Gold - only one, but is it the last?__  
__After the party, her being picked up by a limo, haven't been seen since. Rumours have it, that her father, Yuri Mikoishi, has locked her up and won't let her get out until she behaves. Other does say that she has been kidnapped - and the entire case is being kept quiet by the F.B.I. Others just state, she has gone underground to get away from everything._

_Has she been locked away?__  
__Kidnapped?__  
__Gone mentally down from all the stress?__  
__Or even abducted by aliens?_

_That is what we want to know - along with every other journalist in the world AND all the readers on this planet. So, if anyone got information's of her whereabouts or what she is up to, please contact us.__  
__There is a reward on 50.000 US dollars to the one giving the final information about where she is to be found._

_Read more page 2-5 abo-___

You had no intentions of reading more. In stead you ripped it into hundred of pieces and threw it on the ground. "No way!" 50.000 dollars, just so they could plaster another picture of your face on the front page with some incredible made-up story? They were going too far. Screw the 'you-can-write-what-you-want'! You were tired of it! That's for sure. But ... They wouldn't find you. Not this time. 

You had made sure of that ...

But then again ... You looked at the left-over's. 50.000 ... Many people would go far for that much money. Real far. And that would be a problem. Not only could there be a really, really small risk of them finding you, but fake information's would maybe get out into the world.  
Your reputation couldn't be ruined - not more than it already were!

"Oh my, I sure do have a problem ..."

* * *


	8. The Jai Mikoi Fan Club

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the Characters from it!

* * *

-- The Jai Mikoi Fan Club --

You slammed your head down onto the table as you had finally made your way to school. You had been woken up at 6 AM by a maid (your alarm being broken) and afterwards, your dad had babbled none stop about the article. You weren't really a morning person, so this didn't really make you ... happy.

And now, you were tired.  
You could hear the rest of your class popping up, talking happily together about what they had done since they last saw each other. That would be around 10 hours or so ...  
The clock slowly ticked. _Tick! Tack! _Your eyes started closing, but ...  
"Jai-kun!" A voice were heard.  
You let out a large sigh and looked up. In the door stood Reika, Minako and a third girl, looking quite the same as Reika. The two known waved furiously at you, while, what you guess was Reika's twin, just blushed slightly and looked away. You sighed again and slammed your head onto the table again. You could hear them walk over, and soon after they started talking. "Had a nice morning, Jai-kun?"  
"Not really ..." You muttered.  
"Aw, why not?"  
"Just a little tired, that's all." You said, wishing for them to just ... pop away. But have many thinks that happened? Well, what ever, it didn't. "I think I just need some sleep for ... let's say, the first two hours of school." The girls laughed. _Right, that was fun ...__  
_"I know something that can wake you up!" Minako said happily. You felt her grab your arm. "Come, come!" Slowly, unwillingly, you got up and followed the three girls. Your attention was directed at the third.  
"Ah, that's right!" Reika said, somehow seeming to be the more loud-mouthed of the two siblings. "That's my sister, Reiku Shiina." You nodded slowly. _So I was right ... twins.__  
_"Nice to meet you, Reiku-chan." You smiled at her, making her join her sister and friend in a fit of giggles. You rolled your eyes mentally, while yawning. The girls guided you through the halls, down the stairs and stuffed you into a small room, looking like it hadn't been used for some time now. Minako plopped you down into a chair, and then they faced you. "Now! We, Minako Aino - the leader of this club - Reika Shiina - second in command - and Reiku Shiina - secretary - greets you welcome, Jai Mikoi!"  
You just stared. "Eh?" You blinked confused. "Welcome to where?"  
"The Jai Mikoi Fan Club!"  
_Oh, that's just perfect!__  
_All three girls pulled out badges with your face on it and clipped them onto their clothes. _And where did they get that picture? _You continued to stare dumbly. "Err ... so?" You slowly asked, all smiled at you. "How come you decided to make a fan club for _me_? Shouldn't it be one of the more ... amazing people at this school, like - I've heard the tennis-players are pretty good."  
"No!" They almost yelled at you, making you nearly fall down. "Not as good as you!"  
"Ah ..."  
"You see," Minako started. "The might have something you don't." _Ah ..._ "They might have the talents ..." _Ahh ...! _"They might have the looks ..." _Ah ... Hey?! _"The perfect personality." _How I feel insulted ... _"But!" All three raised their left hands.

**"We, The Jai Mikoi Fan Club, swear to always honour our most beloved treasure, the shining star in a sea of darkness, the light when all other light is gone, Jai Mikoi - and never, will anyone be better than him - even if we have to hurt others! We will protect him when danger is near, we will help him, when he is in need for help, and we will love him, like all soon will! That is the code that we, the protectors of his life and love, has sworn to hold forever more - to the day we die! We swear to you, our Master, we will be there!"**

"..." It was set, you were freaked out ... _What is this? I've ended up in some sort of cult? _"O-kay ..." You laughed nervously. "That was perhaps a little ... overrated ..." They looked puzzled at you. "You sure anyone wants to join if they got to swear that?"  
"Sure!" Minako, the girl who you guessed were being the funder of the 'cult', said. "Reiku have been around, asking the freshman-girls about you."  
"Ah ..."  
"And," Reiku took over. "Around 66,67 didn't know you." _Bummer ... _"But, the last 33.33 all liked you a lot and they would think about joining the club already." _Actually, that's even more bummer ... _"All of these is, of course, the girls from our class, since the rest haven't been able to behold your greatness yet!"  
_Welcome to Crazy-Town. Citizens: at the moment, 3. Soon, a million ... _You sighed. _This is going to get bad, I can feel it ..._

* * *


	9. Seigaku Tennis I

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the Characters!

* * *

-- Seigaku Tennis --  
-- 01 --

"Ah ..." You slowly looked at your wristwatch, afraid of even scared of just looking away from the girls - fearing they'd jump you or something. "Wouldn't it be a good idea to get to class?" You asked them.  
All three girls gasped. _What did I do now? _"We're making you get late for class!" They said.  
"Well, yeah ..."  
"Please forgive us!" Minako said and bowed. "We'll bring you there right away!" One in your left hand, one in another, and the third grabbed your legs. Then they ran out of the room, up the stairs, down the hall. "Eh?"  
And before you knew it, you were sitting in your chair in class - Reiku sat a few rows behind you and waved as you slightly worried looked back at her. The two others had left. Your eye twitched. You turned your attention to the front of class and saw; the teacher hadn't even arrived yet. You let out a sigh. _That was close ...__  
_You pulled up your bag and fumbled with the zipper. Shortly after, with a _rzz! _it opened and you searched through it for your math book and the task you had to do. But of course you weren't able to find them ...  
_Aww ... _You whined mentally. _This is just perfect ...__  
_And at that moment, the door slid open. You sunk as far as possible down in the chair, wanting the teacher to not spot you. But it wasn't the teacher ... Once again you sighed. It was someone even worse. Minako smiled happily at you, as she handed over a bunch of papers and a book. "I took the liberty to look through your math for you!" She said and put them onto the table. You raised an eyebrow.  
"Err, thanks ... But-" You said, thinking about the day before. "I thought you weren't that good at math?"  
She blushed. "Well, I'm not. And I didn't do it alone!" She pointed to Reiku, who once again waved furiously. "Reiku helped me!"  
"Ah ..."  
The door slid open again and this time it was the teacher. You looked at Minako. "You should get going; else you'd be in trouble." She nodded, not really listening ... only thinking about 'Ah, he's concerned about me!' Something like that ... "And, um, thanks." You said. You waved in front of her eyes and she blinked quickly.  
"No problem!" Then she was gone, leaving a cloud of dust behind.  
"Find out your homework!" The teacher called out. Slowly you reached for your papers, ignoring the hearts and 'Me Jai'-signs. You looked at the answers. _Oh ... __  
_It turned out to be correct, all of them. _I got to remember thanking them! _

* * *

The bell rang and your classmates stumbled out of their chairs, packed their stuff and made their way out of the door. You sat back - leaning against the back of the chair. Your eyes were closed as you enjoyed the silence after two hours of none-stop talking from the teacher and the rest of the students.

You didn't really like history ...

You stretched and looked up at the light over your head. You missed with the eyes and thought of your two first days at the school. _At least I can say it has been entertaining ... _You thought.  
"J-Jai-k-kun?" A low voice asked you. Slowly, you turned your head downwards and looked at a girl. She seemed to be only around the ten-eleven or so, but - from the uniform, she was wearing - you guessed she was just a small freshman or so.  
"Yeah?" You asked, sitting up straight. Then you noticed her badge ... _Fan? _You decided to smile, trying to give her some confidence. Hey! You could still be nice!  
She nervously smiled back. "I'm Akita Inu." She introduced herself. "From 3-1."  
You almost fell down from the chair. _She's a SENIOR?! _You stared in disbelieve. That couldn't be true! Impossible!  
"Ahh ..." You said slowly, totally in a loss of words. "Hi?"  
She smiled, now happily. "I'm the newest member of your fan club!"  
"I ... Um, thought so." You said, pointing to her badge.  
She touched it, absentminded. "I've come to guide you to lunch."  
"Ah." You got up, stuffed your bag pack and followed the _senior _... You stared at her back, as you followed her to the cantina. But then, as you were about to turn right, she turned left. You stopped. "I thought we were ..."  
"No." She said, turned and smiled. "We've got a special place."  
A little scared, you followed her again ...

She opened the door to the roof and you walked outside into the sunshine. First you were blinded, but as your vision returned, you noticed there were even more girls than expected. All stood up and bowed as you had walked out. "Welcome, Jai-kun!" They greeted.  
"Err, thanks." You said, slightly frightened ... or, a lot rather. Minako walked over and guided you to the middle of the _evil circle of girls. _"We've already got seven more members."  
"That was fast ..." You said, slowly.  
"Most have heard about you from siblings from class, while the rest is of course the siblings."  
"Ah ..." You didn't really listen. You had already gotten tired of that fan club talk ...  
After Minako's talk about something, the members got introduced. You really tried to remember them, but as the first had been said and then the second, you forgot the first. So ... you weren't quite sure who everyone was.  
Then someone shyly handed over lunch to you, which she, herself, had made. After that, they all just beamed at you, eating.

* * *

You were running in the shadows, trying to avoid the now enormous fan-club of yours. You couldn't walk outside your classroom door, without being attacked by screaming girls - you couldn't even be _inside _the room.  
But you had somehow managed to get out of class safely, and you were now making your way for your first tennis-practice at Seigaku. You stopped abruptly, as Minako came from a doorway. She met with the two twin-sisters. "Have you seen him?" She asked.  
Both shook their heads. "We haven't found him yet, no."  
She sighed. "Keep up the search; he might have gotten into trouble!"  
"Hai!"  
They ran off in each direction, but luckily, they didn't spot you. _Phew ... _You let out a sigh of relief. Then you ran for it again. You jumped down the stairs, taking four steps at a time, a shortcut through a window and over a fence. Now you were facing the training tennis-players of Seigaku. You smirked. This was where the fun began. You pulled your bag higher up on your shoulder and walked for the coach, whom you spotted in the far most corner.  
You walked slowly, taking in every detail you could about the people playing. Most of them weren't even able to hit the ball! And that was juniors! And to your utmost shock, the freshmen weren't even playing ... _they were picking up balls?! __  
_No way, that was sure, you weren't going to waste your time picking up balls. Nu-uh! Never! Not in a life-time! No, no, no! You shook your head as you tapped the coach's shoulder. The elderly woman looked down onto you. "Ah, Jai-kun." She said and smiled. "I see you've decided to show up."  
"What do you mean by that?" You asked her puzzled.  
"Well, practice _did _start fifty minutes ago. And I imagined you'd try to hide from your fans ..."  
"Nah, they can't keep me away from tennis." You smirked. "Now, what to do?"  
"You could always join the rest of the freshmen."  
You raised an eyebrow while chuckling. "Picking up balls?"  
"Yes."  
You sighed ... _Yay ...!_

* * *


	10. Seigaku Tennis II

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the Characters from it!

* * *

-- Seigaku Tennis --  
-- 02 --

Sighing, you bended down and picked up another ball. _Isn't this just the most exciting thing in the universe! _You thought sarcastic, thinking about ripping the coach into a billion shreds. But violence don't solve everything! Well ... maybe a nuclear-bomb ... _Pick up balls! Bah! _But then again ... if you did kill the coach, that would give _him_ a chance of sending you of to an institute or something. You cursed lowly as you once again grabbed around a ball. You looked at the little yellow thing ... your mind trailed off ...

_This isn't what I expected ... _You thought. You had come there to have fun. To play some tennis! Not to pick up balls ... Not to be the lowest in the society. You wanted to do something exciting.  
To play tennis.  
Lovely,  
exciting,  
fun,  
wonderful,  
tennis ...

But oh no! You had to pick up balls! It should be the ones throwing them away that should do that low-life job! You had joined the club to play tennis! You started spinning the ball between your fingers, absentminded.

Somehow, this made you want to just go back to the old school. You hadn't expected this ...  
But deep down, you knew you'd never do that. First of all, that was because of the person you hated the most. You knew, you couldn't handle to look into that gleeful face of your father's. He'd laugh and torment you for that forever more!

And that was sure, that weren't going to happen!

_But then again ... _This didn't help the current situation. You were _still _picking up balls. Nothing was able to do something about that. _I could of course donate a lot of money, so they could buy someone to do that ... _But before you had thought it through, you decided that weren't a good idea either. _Money doesn't solve anything either!__  
_You sighed again.

You snapped out of your thoughts and picked up yet another ball. As you stared at it ... your mind drifted off again.  
But not for long ...

_Smack!_

It felt like your skull exploded and your eyes popped out of your head. Something had hit you right above your neck with a high speed. Slowly, you reached up and touched the place, where the impact had happened. To see if everything was okay, or there maybe was a bone sticking out or something. Luckily, there weren't any ...  
But still, it did hurt. Stars were circling around your head, in and out of your vision. You shook your head, as someone yelled at you. "Get moving!"  
You turned around and looked at some junior making his way over to you. You tilted your head. "Eh?" You asked him, confused. You somehow stared at the pulsing vein at his forehead. He stopped up in front of you and glared down. You glared the other way - up.  
"Can I help you with anything?" You asked him, not sure what - if any - you had done wrong. _Wonder if I killed anyone in my sleep again ... _You joked.  
He kept on glaring, as if he wanted your eyes to burn. "Hello?" You asked, trying to make contact to his upper floor.  
"Why are you stalling?" He snapped at you annoyed.  
"Eh?" You repeated. _Stalling?! _That didn't make sense ... Okay, you had been somewhat sleeping, but - that wasn't stalling! "Sorry? What?"  
"Do you want me to pick up my balls myself?!"  
You sighed, while mentally smirking. This - this was going to get entertaining. You looked up at him, your smirk now plastered on your face. "Actually, yes." You told him and nodded. "I do."  
"Why you little-!" He looked as if he wanted to hit you now. "Show respect to your sempais!"  
_Show some respect to your sempais ... _You mocked in your head. "Err, sorry?" You tried, sarcasm written all over your face. "Respect? Oh please, I am! As much respect as you deserve ..."  
You noticed out of the corner of your eye, that quite a mass had gathered around you two - mostly other freshmen and juniors, but a few seniors also. The freshmen looked like 'oh boy' - while the others just saw it as entertainment. You rolled your eyes. "Lovely ..." You muttered, so only you could hear it.  
"What?"  
"What,_ what_?" You asked back. Then you looked sceptically at him. "Are you alright? I think you are hearing voices."  
That really did make his blood boil. You just enjoyed it all. _This is a LOT more entertaining that picking up balls! _The junior grabbed the collar of your shirt, lifting you up, making your feet dangle under you. But as it now looked as if a fight was about to begin, the seniors saw this as their cue. "Enough, Arai!" One of them said, stepping out. Two was right behind him. "Put the kid down."  
_Put the kid down ... _You thought, laughing. _Put the gun down ... All the same.__  
_"But-!" Arai looked like he was going to answer _his _sempais back - but, coward. He didn't, but stopped himself. Slowly, he let go off your shirt and you gracefully landed on your feet again. You dusted yourself off, while looked back up at him. You looked quite bored.  
Now he returned to glaring at you. 

_Fine ..._

You glared back. _My win ...__  
_"If you absolutely has to settle this ... do it over a match." One suggested.  
_Now we're talking. _You smirked, but Arai didn't look like he thought it as a good idea.  
"Like I'm going to waste my time on that kid, I don't think so. He probably can't even hit the ball!"  
"Scared." You muttered in-between coughs.  
Once again he glared.  
You laughed. _Gotcha...__  
_"Alright, but I'm not going easy on you." He pressed a finger against your forehead and pushed you back. Mentally rolling your eyes, you walked over to your bag and pulled out one of your rackets. Now spinning that between your fingers, you walked onto court. Bored, you stopped up - looking at your opponent. This was going to be real easy ... You had already seen his play. 

_Actually, this ... is going to be boring._

* * *


	11. Seigaku Tennis III

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the Characters!

* * *

-- Seigaku Tennis --  
-- 03 --

"Which?" Arai asked you annoyed, just wanting to get it over with. You slowly looked at the racket in his hand. You shrugged.  
"Smooth." He spun it and it ended on the opposite - rough. You shook your head. "Too bad." You smirked and walked onto the right side of your court, ready for his serve. You let out a sigh and pulled your cap down further over your eyes - hiding them. After that you started spinning your racket between your fingers in your right hand.  
You didn't even look up as Arai hit the ball, sending it flying against you. You just listened to the sound. The first was from the impact between racket and ball, the other as it hit the ground, going up again.  
You slung your racket, hitting it perfectly, and send it back against his court. There it hit just inside the corner. Arai didn't have a chance. "Ah ..." You said. "It slipped ..."  
"15-0." Someone, being the referee, called out.  
"Bastard ..." The junior muttered, making your smirk widen. _Oh yeah? Sorry 'bout that ... _You waited for him to serve again, and as he did, you did just the same as last time.  
"30-0."  
"Eh?" You said lowly, staring at your racket. "This feels weird ..." You shrugged it off and waited for another serve. "Nothing important ..." You laughed to yourself. Then you hit another return ace.  
"4- 40-0"  
Finally you actually looked up, your eyes closed in a smile - like Fuji's. But still you could see Arai. He was actually already sweating. _Scared? _You thought it would be soooooo sad for him, if he didn't even manage to get a point - or hit the ball, except in a serve. And so, as once again a serve made its way to you, you just made a perfectly normal hit - and he was able to hit it back.  
"Well done." You mocked. You hit it back with ease.  
"Umph!" Arai_-sempai _seemed to have a hard time doing the same.  
"Too much power?" You asked him, smirking. "Well, if you can't handle it-" You hit the ball back, even more powerful. "Then I'll just end it!" The ball flew right between his legs, hitting behind him. He just stood there, frozen.  
"1-0 to Mikoi." The ref said.  
You hit the ball on your racket as you walked to serve. "You know, just because I'm only a freshman, you shouldn't underestimate me." You told him, getting annoyed at him. Who did he think he was? Your eyes narrowed as you were about to start. You glared at him - which made him recoil quickly. The ball was thrown high into the air and you hit it.  
It looked like a normal serve - completely normal. _But it isn't. _As the ball hit the other side it stayed there. It didn't bounce. It didn't move. It just spun and stopped.

Everyone fell silent.  
They stared in disbelieve at the ball.  
They stared at you, just standing there.  
"Who is he?!" Someone asked another, breaking the silence.

"15-0."  
Again.  
"30-0."  
And again.  
"40-0."  
And a last time.  
"2-0."

* * *

"Hurry Reika! Reiku!" Minako called out to the two others. "They've found him!"  
"Ah!" Both girl ran after their leader, aiming for the tennis-courts. The three girls passed through the halls, down the stair, through the doors and outside. There the continued running for the sound of a tennis ball being hit.  
As they hit the breaks in front of a lot of people gathered around a single court, they froze too. They looked at you, staring bored at another guy on the ground, his racket ten feet away from him.  
"Jai-kun?" Minako whispered.  
"What's going on?" Reika asked puzzled.

* * *

You rolled your eyes. "Wasn't that just exciting ..." You said. You looked at your racket. "Oh!" You said out loud. "That's why it felt weird." You held it up. "The string is broken!" You laughed. Then you turned around and walked off the court. You grabbed your bag and kept on walking.  
_What a waste of time - and racket._

* * *

"Ah, Jai-kun! He's leaving!" Minako snapped back into reality. "Hurry!" She ran after you, and the two other girls followed. "Jai-kun! Wait up!"  
You looked back and halted. You smiled at them. "Hello." You said slowly. They stopped up in front of you and bowed.  
"Hi, Jai-kun!" They said.  
"What was the match about?" Minako asked you concerned. "Against that junior."  
"Nothing important." You shrugged. You looked at your racket. _That was my favourite ... _You sighed. "He was just a little annoying."  
Then you started walking again.  
"Nothing to worry about, I think we've sorted it out."  
"Else!" Minako said enthusiastic. "We'd take care of him!"  
"Ah ..."  
_Scary ..._

* * *


	12. Attack and Hide

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis, nor do I own any of the characters!

* * *

-- Attack and Hide --

"Um, bye girls?" You slowly said, as your bus made its way closer to you. You got up from the bench, looking at the girls as you pulled up your bags. All three looked at you with stars in their eyes. _What's so amazing this time? Me, taking the bus? _"Well," you found out your ticket and walked up the three steps. You handed it over to the driver. "Later." You waved as the doors closed.  
The girls just sighed after you, as the bus disappeared down the road. You walked down the path in the middle between the seats and sat down in the back in an empty one. You stuck your hands down into your pockets and pulled out an iPod. You plugged both into your ears and turned on the music, watching the trees, houses, cars, passing by.  
Your head and feet moved to the music. Something caught your eye. Two men, coming your way, from the front of the bus. You looked them up and down, your gaze stopped abruptly at the things hanging from sting over their necks.

_Cameras ..._

You knew it by then. The press. Both sat on the seats next to you, and out of the corner of your eye, you watched them. Slowly, you reached up and pulled your cap further down - just to be sure.  
You reached for the iPod and turned down on the music, so you could hear what they were talking about. They were talking hectically together ... something with a person missing? It sounded like that, but ... 

You sneezed.

_Someone's talking about me ..._

You started getting worried. Once again you glanced over at them, this time even more worried. Indeed ...  
"She must reappear sooner or later!" One of them said to the other. "I'm sure!"  
"But really, she hasn't been seen for days now!"  
"She can't hide forever ..."  
You gulped. Oh no ... _I'd better get out of here. _You thought. They were from the tabloids - they could sniff you out miles away, and they'd spot you - even with short hair. You had to get off the bus at the next stop.  
You reached out and pressed a button - stop. A red light shone up front with the same word. You sighed. It was about time for you to go under ground again. Before it would be too late!  
You got up, grabbed your bags and walked for the door. You leaned around a window, still keeping your face hidden. The bus came to a halt and you were free to go. But of course ... 

You just had to turn and check if they had noticed you. They hadn't - if you hadn't turned around. If just, you hadn't made eye-contact with any of them. If you hadn't done that, you could have gotten away unspotted.  
The reporter looked at you. Blinked, and looked again. His mouth dropped. It couldn't be ... He slowly got up, making the other look too. He too noticed you.  
"Nadjai!" They yelled.  
This made you pull yourself together. Just as the doors closed again you squeezed yourself out. You hit the ground with your knees, scraping them by only wearing shorts. You shot up again, not even thinking about the pain in both hands and knees, but just ran. You ran down the road, just wanting to get away before it was too late.  
You sprinted away, turning around a corner, almost bumping into someone. "Excuse me!" You said, keeping the balance. You quickly looked back to see if they were after you and if the person was alright.  
He was ...

And it was ... _Fuji-sempai?_

* * *

But in the bus the two made the driver open up again, and both got out. "Hurry!" One yelled and already started running too. "She came that way!" He pulled out the camera, turning it on.  
This was his great chance.  
"Coming!" The other followed right behind.  
Also they turned the corner, and also they ran into Fuji. That poor guy, have done nothing to any of you, except being there, once again hit the ground. But this time he didn't get an apology.  
In stead he got ...  
"Miss Mikoishi!"  
"Mikoishi?" Fuji muttered, thinking about it. "Oh ...!"

* * *

You kept on running, fearing they would still be after you. Your eyes had started watering as your legs started hurting. You leaned for a short second against a wall, trying to catch your breathe and let your legs rest.  
But you couldn't for long, as you heard their yells.  
"Damn it ..."  
Once again you made sure you had your bags and then you ran. Just ran. Your hand reached down into a pocket and you pulled out a cell phone. Without really looking you dialled a number and held the phone to your ear. _Come on, pick it up!__  
_"Miss Nadjai?" A voice asked.  
"Thank God! Niles, please, trace this call and send the limo, quickly!"  
"Yes, miss."  
You decided the only thing to be done was to hide. You looked around. If the limo would pick you up there, you'd have to be there when it came. The only place to hide would be there ...  
You crawled over the wall just in time before the press came hurrying around the corner. You hid in some bushes and made you as small as possible. You heard the sound of running feet passing by, and you let out a sigh of relief. But you weren't as stupid to just pop out right after, but waited for some minutes.  
You were completely sure there was no one around, when you finally crawled over again. But as you were halfway, with your feet nearly on the ground, someone spoke up to you.  
"What was that about, _Jai-kun_?" You froze and landed on your feet, still facing the wall. You gulped again. You turned your head and looked at the newly arrived.  
"F-Fuji-sempai?"  
He just smiled.  
"Or should I rather say Nadjai-chan?"

_Oh my ..._

* * *


	13. To Talk

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters!

* * *

-- To Talk --

You smiled unsure, not being able to resist smiling back. He looked at you - he knew. "So ..." You started, real slow. _Right! Talk to him until the limo arrives, and then run for it! Stalling! _"What made you figure it out?" You leaned against the wall, turning the cap the other way, so you could better see him.  
"I somehow had a feeling for some time ..."  
"Ah. How long?"  
"Around when you hit yourself in the head with a book? But, that was just I had a feeling you were a girl, not daughter of the richest person on Earth."  
"Ah ..." You sighed - him again. "So-"  
"When I figured out you being Nadjai Mikoishi?"  
"Yeah."  
"That would be after you had to reporters running after you, yelling Miss Mikoishi."  
"Yeah ... Of course." You closed your eyes, sighing. _That's just perfect. Just what I need! _You once again looked up at the brown-haired senior. "Fuji-sempai?"  
"I'm not going to tell anyone." He cut in.  
"Eh?"  
"I guess you have a reason for doing this, and it's not like me to rattle out my friends."  
_Friends?__  
_"R-really?" You stuttered, while he nodded. "Thank you, sempai! But ..." You paused. "You don't care about the reward on 50.000?"  
"What reward?"  
"EH?!" You blinked furiously. _He didn't know?!__  
_He just laughed. "Don't worry. I'd never take money for something like that."  
"Phew ..." You glanced at your watch. _That limo-driver sure is taking his time. _You didn't really have anything to talk about, and soon you were consumed in the-slightly-uncomfortable-silence. You shifted on your feet, feeling a little - restless. _Err ... _Luckily, Fuji seemed to have a way to break the silence. "I remember I met you in the park an evening."  
You smiled. "That's right."  
"You acted quite strange there too- ..."  
"Eh?"  
"Compared to normal boys, but I think I understand now."  
"Hehe, yeah." You scratched the back of your head. "Oh, that reminds me ..."  
"Huh?"  
"Thank you."  
"For what?"  
"You said I should just continue trying."  
"Oh."  
"And ... well, I did. But- not like that!" You smiled warmly. "I wasn't able to hit the ball, since I had a hard time trying to decide what I was doing was right or wrong. You see, I'm doing all this because I actually don't want to be known as my father's child, but for me. But-" Your eyes darkened. "I wasn't sure if it was the right thing ... Then you popped up and said I should just keep trying. To me it sounded like I should keep the faith. And I did! I wanted to keep fighting, I wouldn't give up." You looked up at the sky, which was starting to darken as you spoke. "That's why I owe you."  
"Oh, no problem then." He said and laughed slightly again. "Even though, I have to admit, I just thought you were a beginner ..."  
You smirked. "I wouldn't really call me that."  
"Neither would I, that's for sure."  
The sun was blocked from sight, as dark - almost black - rainclouds filled the sky. Far away you heard the low sound of thunder. "It's starting to rain soon ..." You muttered.  
And you were right. At first, only a single, small drop fell. It hit your hand and you felt the coolness from it. You looked down onto it. Another fell, and another. Soon after the world around you turned into a grey lump. "Ah ..." You whined. You covered your face, using your bag as a shield - hiding you from the rain. _He could hurry a bit ... _You thought annoyed.  
Just then two flashes were seen, coming down the road. _Speaking of the devil. _You waved threatening at the driver, but it was easy to see you didn't mean it - not with that smile across your face. You motioned him to stay inside in stead of opening the door for you. You were a big girl, you could do that yourself! You quickly stepped inside, but soon after your head popped out. "Come, Fuji-sempai, we'll drop you off on the way." You smiled. "Anyways, why don't want any of Seigaku's star-players to catch a cold." You joked. You held the door for him as he stepped inside, and finally you could shut it tight, feeling the warmth of the car greeting you.  
You let out a sigh of relief. "That feels so great." Then you started looking around.  
"What is it?" Fuji asked, taking in his surroundings.  
"There got to be some towels around here." You cursed as the car hit a bump or something, making you topple over. "Auch ..." You muttered as you landed on your behind. You looked into a small cabinet, and success! You handed over a towel to Fuji, while you draped one around your head yourself. Then you sat down again.  
You smiled at him. "Anyways, we don't even know where you live!" You suddenly said, clapping your hands together. Fuji looked out the window.  
"It's sure you've driven too far already."  
"Eh?!" You, along with Fuji, quickly told the driver the right address, and you watched as the car turned around - going the other way. "Oops."  
"You know ..." Fuji said.  
"Huh?"  
"You're a different person when you're a girl."  
This sort of made you choke. "D-different?" You tried regaining your breathe. "Of course! I can't go around like a girl, when I'm trying to be a boy! I'm quite sure people would think it as weird then!"  
"True."  
"Ye'."  
"But still, maybe you are overdoing it a little."  
"What do you mean?"  
"I'm not sure if it's a good idea, starting a fan club."  
"It wasn't really me who started it ..." You muttered.  
"I know, but still ... surrounded by girls all the time - and you would never fall for a single one of them. That isn't really _boyish _either."  
"True, so very true." You nodded slowly, thinking of what he said. "But then again ... I'm just not interested, and if they ask - I'll just say there's someone else."  
"And break a couple girl's hearts?"  
"Argh! Stop saying that - I'm starting to doubt this again."  
He shook his head. "Don't worry, it'll be good."  
You leaned forward as the car stopped. You looked out the window onto a house. "This is it?" You asked.  
"Yes."  
"I see." You opened the door for him, and he stepped outside.  
"Thanks for the ride." He smiled and handed over the towel.  
"No problem, it's me who says thanks!" You shut the door again and watched him make it safely into the house. Then you told the driver to go. You leaned against the back, thinking about what he had said.  
_What to do about that?_

* * *


	14. Infiltrated by the Press

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the Characters!

* * *

-- Infiltrated by the Press --

Later that day, after you had hid from the press, the news about you being spotted, turned up in the TV. Of course your father had to see it, so that evening, you found yourself, stuck between your mom and dad in the couch, forced into seeing some reporter, talking about it.  
The only good thing about it, that was what you were holding in your hands. And that was a bowl of popcorn. Your sweet daddy had thought it as entertaining, so he had ordered popcorn, candy and everything else needed to watch you, making a fool out of yourself. You sighed and looked up at first your mom, then your dad. "Can I go? I got homework ..." You asked them lowly. Your mom didn't even look at you, but stared at the extremely large screen.  
_Why not just get a normal 30" or something, I asked? We don't need anything bigger. But no! We had to get a ... like what? 100" or so?! I didn't even knew they make those ...__  
_Your dad put a hand around your shoulders, keeping you put. "Not yet! We got to have some quality time as a family - and we haven't seen it yet either!" You sighed again, sinking as far down into the couch as possible. And then the news came up on the screen - your dad turning up the volume just a little bid more. Your ears started plopping. _Let's make sure the neighbors can hear it too, shall we?_

The first thing that popped up onto the screen was an old picture of you. You stared at it, slightly concerned. By your side, your dad let out a snort, laughing. Okay, the picture weren't that old, only taken a few weeks ago. But it was taken before your little makeover.  
You were holding someone's head down under the water in a fountain, where both of you sat, drenched in water. The other girl seemed like she was trying to shake you off of her, but in vain. You had murder written in your eyes, as you looked up at the camera. In the background, a bunch of fancy-dressed people all stood, not quite sure how to act to the scene in front of them. 

Your dad started coughing, laughing, while getting choked by a popcorn. "Hope you die." You muttered, taking this opportunity to just get the hell out of there. Your dad reached out to you, but you just danced past him out of his grab. You waved to them and left the room.

_Suckers ..._

_

* * *

_

You walked backwards, looking at the man. Your eyebrow was slightly raised as you pondered about it. _Since when did we get a new janitor? _That guy definitely wasn't there the day before, you were positive!  
Of course, being real lucky, you bumped directly into something - or someone. Shocked, falling to the ground, you just managed to get a glimpse of a camera. _Eh? __  
_You hit the floor, head first, and just lay there, trying to figure out what you had just seen. In the end you decided for it to be true ... The press had infiltrated the school, guessing you were there. _Oh joy! __  
_"Hey, watch it!" The_ thing _you bumped into angrily said to you. You knew that voice. Slowly you turned on the floor, sitting on your butt, looking up at the sophomore. "Ah, not you!" You said, sounding bored.  
"Oi, respect!"  
"Err, didn't we have this argument like- what? Yesterday or something?" You asked, picking yourself up from the ground, pulling your bag with you. "And didn't we also come to the conclusion, that you didn't deserve _my respect_?"  
He looked like he was about to rip you into pieces - even though you doubted he even could that. You just smiled, twirling one of your bangs around a finger.  
You yawned.  
"Annoying brat ..." He muttered. You just rolled your eyes, smirking.  
"Excuse me, I'd better get going." You walked past him, bumping your shoulder against his. But just as he was about to attack you, someone else came before him.  
You got tackled to the ground as someone hugged you from behind. "_Jai-Jai!_" You heard a voice, which you had never heard before. Slightly scared you shook of the person, jumping to your feet. You looked around, but saw no one. "Huh?"  
You felt someone tuck at your skirt and you looked down. A cute little girl, dark-green eyes and black hair, looked up at you. She beamed at you, showing off her pearly white teeth - or two missing in front.  
"Hi?" You asked, then you smiled. _Cutie! _You bowed down and looked at her, face to face. "Are you lost?"  
She shook her head. "Nope! You're Jai-Jai, neh?"  
"Err ... yes?"  
"Ah!" She hugged you. "Jai-Jai!"  
"Um ... I'm a little lost ..." You scratched your head. "Sorry, but who are you?"  
"Yumi Shiina!" She introduced herself.  
"Shiina? You're Reika and Reiku's kid sister?"  
"Mmhmm!" She nodded happily.  
_Sister to a fan ...? Uh ...__  
_"Shouldn't you be with one of them?" You asked her.  
"Nu-uh! I wanted to meet Jai-Jai!"  
"Ah ..."  
"You're in Reiku's class!"  
"Yeah, I know."  
"Then you can walk me!" She hugged your arm.  
"Ah ..."

* * *

"Reiku-chan!" Yumi exclaimed as you stepped inside the classroom. The little girl pointed to you. "I met Jai-Jai!"  
You laughed nervously, and as she finally let go of you, you sat down at the table, hitting your head at it, rapidly. _Kindergarten kids too, eh? _You hadn't even noticed the teacher had appeared, but as he coughed for attention, you looked up at him. "You're late." He said sternly.  
"And you are new." You said, clueless of your perhaps soon-to-be detention. You tilted your head.  
"Yes, I am."  
"Oh, what's wrong with the old one?"  
"Vacation." He said bluntly.  
"Ah."  
"Now-" He said, pulling out books. "Turn to page fifty in the textbook."  
You looked through your bag, pulling out your book and then looked back up. You looked at it. "Err?" You asked, raising your hand. The teacher looked at you.  
"Yes?"  
"What class do we even have?"  
"Mathematics."  
"Oh ..."  
Quickly you stuffed down your books again. _Wrong ... _You pulled out some others. "That's better." You laughed.

As class started, you opened your books, putting it up, hiding you from the teacher. You placed your head onto the table, resting, not even listening to the teacher and his talk.  
"Then, who can do this?" The teacher asked. "What about miss Sleeping Girl at row three?" Everyone turned their gaze to you, and you lifted your head slightly.  
"Meh?"  
"Yes."  
You looked at the blackboard, at something looking like - math? You tilted your head, trying to just make out the numbers. "Err ..." Standing up, you walked for the board. You tried calculating it, but had troubles doing so.  
Everyone stared, thinking you were stupid or something.  
"Um ... Let's see ..." You pointed. "6 ..." Then to the other. "Plus 6 ..." You started counting on your fingers. 1, 2, 3 etc.  
"Can we get someone else up here and do it, someone _who doesn't have to take of their shoes to count more than ten._"  
You laughed nervously, as someone else walked up and quickly wrote two digits. "I knew that ...! 12 ..." You shook your head. Following the other down to the tables, you noticed something out of your eye. It looked like a camera ...  
Slowly, your gaze turned up to the teacher, and you understood.

_The Press ..._

* * *


	15. Babysitting

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of tennis or the Characters!

* * *

-- Babysitting --

"Jai-kun!" Someone called out as you were about to leave the classroom. You sighed and stopped up. You had just hoped you could have disappeared without anyone noticed - but, too late for that. Slowly, you turned around, sticking your hands down into your jackets pockets. A smile spread across your face as you saw the little girl in front of you. Even though she was a fan ... If you even could call her that ... she was just so _cute_!  
"Hi Yumi." You said, kneeling down so you could look into her emerald-green eyes. God, you wanted to hug her or something. _Aw! __  
_"Jai-kun?" She asked you, muttering.  
"Huh?" You bowed forward trying to get into hearing range. "What is it?"  
Her foot scraped the ground, as she looked down, embarrassed. "Would you please stay with me this break ...?" She asked you so low, that you nearly didn't hear her. She looked up at you, those big, bright eyes, almost shimmering in the light. How could you say no to that?! Impossible!  
"Sure, but ... what about Reiku or Reika, shouldn't you stay with them?" You asked her, a little puzzled. Had her sisters just left her? How cruel! It might be you were dressed as a boy, but the mother inside of you started turning up ... _I know! I'll adopt her!_

Bad idea ... 

"They had to do something else." She told you. You snapped back into reality. _Oh ... _Well, you could stay with her for forty minutes or so. That wouldn't kill you!  
"Alright!" You beamed at her and ruffled up her hair. "You've got any lunch with you or do you need to buy?" She shook her head.  
"I forgot my money at home ..." She whispered.  
"Doesn't matter! My treat! Now, come, come!" You grabbed her tiny hand in your big paw (compared to hers of course!) and almost ran out of the room. She little girl somewhat flew after you, as you quickly made your way down the hallway. You passed people on your way, all of them also on their way to get some lunch.  
"Jai-kun!" You heard someone yell. You looked back and waved at Minako.  
"Hi." You answered back, but she didn't hear you - you were already gone.

The little girl suddenly found herself in the cantina, you panting next to her. "I'm so out of shape ..." You wiped your brow and smiling looked down onto her. Then you turned your attention to the food sat out in front of you. Your stomach growled. "Oh my, oh my." You looked through your bag and pulled out a wallet, then you looked down onto her again. "Now, what do you want?"  
"Uh ..." She paused. "Isn't it expensive?" She asked.  
_Already thinking about money? In her age?!__  
_"Now, now! It's nothing!" You waved your hands in front of her, reassuring. "Don't worry!" Slowly, she stood on her toes, trying to get a better view.  
"I- can't really see." She said, jumping up and down.  
"Ah ..." You bowed down once again. "Crawl up."  
"Huh?"  
"Come on already. Piggyback-ride!"  
She laughed as she crawled up onto your shoulders. You stood up once again, and this time she was able to see the food properly. "Um ..." You walked back and forth so she could see it all. "That!" She happily pointed to some lasagna.  
"Hai, hai! Then we'll have two lasagna and-" You tilted your head upwards and her head came into view. "What do you want to drink? Juice? Lemonade? Coffee?!" She giggled sweetly.  
"Orange juice, please."  
"Aw, so polite! Then an orange juice and a bottle of water." You told the cantina-lady. Shortly after, you stood with a tray in your hand, looking around for a free table and still with a girl on your shoulders. "Now, can you spot any?" You asked her, twirling around, receiving another fit of giggles from her.  
"Over there! Over there!" She pointed up ahead and you spotted a completely free table.  
"Aye, aye, cap'!" You jumped over, even though that made the people near by stare. Like you cared ... _So cute!__  
_You plopped down on the bench after having 'shook' Yumi off and placed the tray in front of you. "Right! One for you, and one for me! Orange juice there and water here! That's correct, isn't it?"  
"Yup!"  
"That's good!" You let out a sigh. "You really are heavy." You told her.  
"Or it's just you, who's out of shape."  
"Oi, oi. Respect!" You poked her nose. "I'm still your sempai _and _I treated you to food." You nodded. "Indeed." You slowly removed the cap from the bottle of water and put it to your lips. Yumi watched you, as she stuck a fork into her mouth. Just as you gulped down the water, someone popped up behind you, letting out a rather loud greeting.  
"Jai-kun!"  
You got so shocked, that the water flew out of your mouth, as you almost chocked in it. Yumi hit your back, trying to help you. "Can't ... breathe!" You joked, falling down from the bench. Yumi laughed and looked down onto you, lying quite still on the ground, eyes closer.  
She poked you with a foot. "You're dead?" She asked.  
"Yes."  
Slowly, you opened an eye and looked at the newly arrived person. You smiled as you saw the third-year girl from a few days before. "Ah, Inu-sempai." You greeted her and got up. You sat down slowly on the bench again, tapped Yumi's nose. "Brat." You joked, which just made her stick out her tongue. Then you looked at the older girl again, noticing her tray. "Please, sit." You motioned her for the empty space next to you. "No one else seems to ... Probably because of the _brat_."  
"I'm not a brat! You're acting like a kid more than I am!"  
"Really?!" You asked, acting insulted.  
"Ye'!"  
"Nu-uh!" You pouted.  
"She's your sister?" Inu asked. You looked at her, eyes wide open.  
"No, luckily not."  
"Oi!"  
"Oh, so, then she's what to you? Cousin?"  
"Nah, we aren't really related. I'm just _babysitting _her for Reiku."  
"Oh, that's sweet of you." She said and looked at Yumi, who once again was eating her fork. You looked slightly worried at her.  
"Err, watch out you won't choke in it."  
She nodded. "Mm."

* * *

"I wanna see you play tennis!" Yumi exclaimed, as you once again had tried to sneak out. She popped up next to you, out of the blue.  
"Eh? Where did you come from?" You asked her, jumping back. _Scary little girl ... __  
_"Please?" She smiled that smile, shoving the missing teeth. You sighed.  
"Don't see why not ..."  
She reached out and grabbed around your hand, holding onto it tightly, afraid that she'd might loose you in the mob of people. You shook your head. "But I'm not sure if I'm even going to play ... Freshmen only pick up balls."  
_Which isn't fair ...__  
_

"20 laps!" The captain commanded, just as you had stepped out onto the courts. You had dropped of the little (brat) girl at the fence, near some girls, who all had_ your _badge clipped onto their shirts.  
They had stared at you like you were some sort of holy thing or something ... You rolled your eyes, thinking about it. You checked your shoelaces were properly tied and then you followed the rest of the players, in their journey around the courts. You passed a few of the other freshmen, who seemed to be already now, close to collapsing. You hadn't even broken a sweat yet, but as you noticed - nor had the elder ones.  
Suddenly someone spoke up, saying something, which apparently made almost everyone speed up. "The time is set to one minute each lap. Those, who don't make it, will receive a glass of my Special Inui Deluxe Juice." You turned your head at the voice, and spotted what seemed to be a senior, holding up a glass with a red liquid. You raised an eyebrow. _Aha ... __  
_But you guessed it was something pretty much terrible, as you saw how everyone ran like crazy. You sped up too, and once again you ran past someone - this time it was the juniors. You passed the 'finishing' line for the seventh time, just as the senior pressed a watch, taking time. "1:00." He said, writing something down into a notebook. _Phew ... made it. __  
_As you heard yelps of people, seeming to die a horrible death, you glanced back once again, and found most of the freshmen laying in cramps. _What the heck?! _You thought. _What's in that?!__  
_You couldn't come in after a minute. You just couldn't! Never, would you ever drink that. You pressed yourself to run even faster, even thought your legs started aching. Once again you made it just before the time-limit.

Five laps to go.

You noticed that now almost everyone had been taken off to the hospital - just kidding - and you found yourself left back, only with the regulars. You ran right behind them, having no intensions of letting them get up ahead of you.

Three left.

You could do it! You felt like your legs had turned into 'pudding'. Even though it only had been twenty laps, it still took a lot of your energy. It was probably the time-limit and the not-so-bright future, waiting up ahead, if you didn't make it.

One more!

Just one! You felt the hope rise up in you. So close ...  
_Almost there!__  
_You turned the second last corner, and sprinted after the regulars, who where just a little in front of you. You passed the last corner, seeing Inui (you had remembered his name) waiting. You saw the red, bubbling liquid. The dying tennis players.  
You could do it!

But then ...

"Jai!"

That voice. It couldn't be. Your head turned. No, no, no.  
You felt your legs get tangled up in each other.  
You felt yourself starting to fall through the air.  
You felt yourself hit the ground hard, scraping both your hands and knees badly.

But none of this, you noticed. Your head was still fixed on her. First, she smiled, but as she saw your impact with the hard pavement, it disappeared. You just knew, what she was thinking. '_My bad ..._'

_Yes, indeed your bad!__  
_

_

* * *

_


	16. Broken Hearts I

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the Characters from it!

* * *

-- Broken Hearts --  
-- Part 01 --

------ Two girls were sitting, hiding behind the bushes, keeping their hands over each others mouth. But even that couldn't hold back the giggles, as they looked through the leaves of the bush.  
The elder one, with her dark brown, almost black hair, removed the younger's hands from her mouth. She smiled, and withdraw her own hands too. "I think the coast is clear ..." She whispered. She started crawling out, and as she stood up, a few leaves had made their way into her hair. She blew a strand away from her face and looked around. "Yeah, he's gone." She turned around and looked at the other, who still kept herself on the ground. "Come on."  
The light-brown haired girl smiled also and scrambled to her feet. "Hai!" She ran over to her and jumped excitedly up and down. But just then someone grabbed her ear and twitched it slightly - still enough to make it hurt.  
"Oh! A-auch! Let go!" She whined, trying to shake herself free from the man's grip. He shook his head and started dragging her by the ear with him to the mansion. "Saya!" She called out, but the girl could do nothing.  
Saya looked after her and sighed.

_She had failed ... _------

* * *

That had actually hurt, you thought, as you - once again - by the pain in your palms, snapped back into not-dreaming mode. You blinked quickly, and jumped to your feet, still keeping your eyes on the girl in front of you. You brushed yourself off, and winced at the pain in your hands as you removed the dirt.  
"Oi, Jai-Jai, you alright?" Suddenly your senior, Eiji Kikumaru, jumped over to you. You glanced at the girl, but turned your attention to him.  
"Ah ..." You looked on your legs and nodded. "Yeah ..."  
"That's good!" He said and beamed at you, then he jumped over to Inui. "He's fine, so he can have the drink!"  
_Eh?! What?!__  
_And so the other senior popped up next to you, receiving a frightened and shocked look from you. With a glint in his square glasses, he handed over the pinch of red liquid to you. With shaking hands you grabbed it and pressed it to your lips. But as you were about to gulp it down as quickly as possible, someone yelled at you.  
"No! Jai-kun!"  
Once again someone magically popped up next to you_. What kind of school is this? Hogwarts? Can't see Harry Potter anywhere though ... _You removed the glass from your lips again, and stared at your fan clubs leader. "Ah ..." You sighed. "Minako."  
"Please! Let me drink it!"  
_Huh? _"You actually _want _to drink this?"  
She nodded. "Hai! It might be dangerous-" she glared dagger at it. "So! For your safety, I'll do it!" She tried grabbing it from you, but you held it away.  
"No way! It's my punishment, I don't want anyone else to do it for me!"  
Her eyes were filled with stars, and a flock of girls (once _again!_) popped up around you. "How heroic!" They all exclaimed.  
_Ah ...__  
_You looked down into the red water, and watched a bubble make its way up to the surface, where it plopped silently. You let out a sigh and this time you drained it all with no break. Everyone around you held their breath. Minako looked at two girls next to her. "First aid ready?" She whispered.  
"Hum, hum!" The nodded, holding up a little white box with a red cross. "Preperations completed."

_That really does taste ..._

You removed the glass again. "Blah!" You wiped your tongue, coughing like a crazy, wanting the taste to disappear. "That tastes awful!" You exclaimed. Your mouth burned, and even though a girl had handed you some water, it helped nothing.  
Panicking, the fans tried to help you the best they could, but before they as much as could lift a finger, you passed out. 

... Everything went black ...

"Ah, Inui, you killed another!"

* * *

"Oi, _Jai_, wake up!" Someone, a familiar voice, almost ordered you. You felt yourself being shaken violently. Slowly, your eyes flushed open and you looked around. You found yourself, laying a bench in the boys changing room. You blinked confused. _How did I get here? _You thought. Slowly you sat up and noticed the girls around you.  
"Err ... _boy's _changing-room, ladies." You said, but then you saw the girl standing closest to you. "So it really was you, Saya-chan." You said and slung your feet down onto the floor.  
Most of the girls quickly left the room after you had pointed out the little detail, but a few stayed back - including Minako, Reiku, Reika and Yumi. Three of them glared at Saya, while Yumi just looked through someone's bag. You glanced at her quickly, mentally rolling your eyes, but then you looked back at Saya.  
A smile spread across your face. "It's good to see you."  
"Same."

And then she hugged you and you hugged her back.

And then the three girls died of heart attacks.

And then Yumi found some underwear.

"Uh!" She said, holding the boxer shorts up, examined them. "What's this?"  
Reiku's eyes widened and she snapped them away from her kid sister. Then she found herself holding them. "Ah!" She threw them off onto the bag, glaring at them, shaking slightly. You rolled your eyes, but smirked none the less.  
"Perhaps you guys should ... not to be rude, but since it's for _not you_, you should probably leave ..." You muttered. The girls nodded. First Reiku walked out, dragging Yumi after her, even though the little girl had been rather entertained, then Reika, who hesitated just a little, waiting for her leader.  
Minako first stared at Saya, but then, with a sigh, she left. That left you alone with her.  
"What brings you here anyways?" You asked her, puzzled to see your only _true _friend, suddenly. "And how did you find me?"  
"Well-" she paused, a smirk growing. She plopped down next to you, while spinning a bang of hair between her fingers. "Let's just say this _buddy _of yours got a little worried. You know, first of all you didn't show up in school - all of a sudden. Then we started hearing things in the news about you being abducted by aliens - along with other rumors, circulating the school." She fumbled with a ring on one of her slim fingers. "So ... I decided to go figure myself." Suddenly she looked sternly at you. "And I can't believe you didn't even tell _me _about it! I'm your best friend for Christ sake!" And then you found yourself being shaken violently once again.  
"S-sorry!" You apologized, trying to calm her down. She let go and you dizzily tried keeping your balance. You blinked a couple of times and grinned at her. "Then again, you are quite brilliant minded, aren't you? So I figured you'd somehow understand it within seconds."  
"Hm ..." She rested her head in her hands. "But still ... I actually had to ask your mom."  
"You had to do _what_?!" You shrieked. _That's just perfect! __  
_"Yeah ... Well, she said that I could probably find you playing tennis in Seigaku."  
"Ah ..."  
"So I had to check out what _Seigaku _was, and then I had to come all the way here!"  
"I'm glad you didn't yell out Nadjai ..." You muttered.  
"That, I figured. Since you were dressed as a boy, playing with the boys, and of course the girls all staring after you ... I understood you were a _boy. _Anyways, Jai's your nickname, isn't it?"  
"That's right!" You smiled at her. "I'm glad you're smart, else I'd be in trouble!"  
"Yup. By the way ... those girls-" you sighed, and she smirked even wider. "Fan girls?"  
"Hai ..."

* * *


	17. Broken Hearts II

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the characters, not from the anime, nor the manga!

* * *

-- Broken Hearts --  
-- Part 02 --

"Aw!" She squealed. She pulled one of your two bangs and tapped your nose. "You look cute too! So I can see why!" She laughed. "But then again ... Isn't it annoying?"  
That was one of the things weirdly about her. She really did have mood swings ... That was sure ... She could turn within seconds from happy-go-lucky to must-kill-nearest-person, and that wasn't nice to be near by!  
You shook your head and rolled your eyes, as you pushed away her hand, with was in the middle of tugging at your shirt. "I don't like your uniform."  
"It's not the uniform, _stupid._" You said, emphasizing the last word. "I was in the middle of practice. Actually, the uniform is _worse_."  
She recoiled. "Impossible!"  
You shook your head again. "I'm afraid not ..." You slowly got up and stretched. "About time I'll get home anyways." You said, looking at the clock hanging over the door. Saya got up too, and she too, stretched.  
"I'm coming with you." She told you.  
"Ah ..."  
You picked up your bags, which had seemed to have ended up on the floor next to you, somehow. You hung your schoolbag over your shoulder, while you grabbed around the tennis bag in the other. She linked arms with you, even thought you gave her _the look _- and not the _God-I-love-you!-_look, but _mind-stopping-that-or-I'll-rip-your-arm-off_-look.  
She just laughed and dragged you over to the door. With a hand on the handle, she paused. You knew what she was planning.  
"You're _NOT _my girlfriend!" You told her strictly.  
"I know, I know!" She winked. "I'm smart, remember? Now, this is to make those fan girls of your back off a little. They won't mess that much with you if you already got a girlfriend."  
You sighed. You somehow _did _and _didn't _understand her logic. Of course that would be true ... but ... somehow, you couldn't really see the light. "You're still my sempai by two years." You said. "That's some age-difference."  
"So? You're cute enough for me." She joked, squeezing your cheek.  
"I'm not four ..." You muttered and pushed up the door for her. "Out, out."

* * *

With The Jai Fan Club  
"Ah!" Minako's jaw dropped as she saw the two step out of the changing-room, arm in arm. "It- can't be!" She started choking the nearest person, being Reika. "What does she have we don't?!"  
Yumi's head tilted as she with big, green eyes followed the two. She really wasn't that stupid. And then, suddenly, she understood. "Girl ..." She whispered lowly, onto to herself. But of course the others heard her.  
"Yeah, that girl there." Minako said, pointing to Saya, getting all worked up. "Annoying, stealing, dumb girl!"  
Yumi just kept on watching the two.

It may be, she was only seven, but still ...  
Children actually did notice details, not like adults, only looking at the whole.

_Jai equal girl._

* * *

Your POV  
You talked randomly with Saya, about what had happened the few days where you hadn't been around. She also asked how it was at Seigaku, and you told her how _horrible _it was.  
"We only get to pick up balls." You sobbed.  
She laughed, but suddenly the two of you got parted, as Minako pressed in between the two of you. She, first, beamed at you, then she turned quickly to Saya and gave her _the look_. You sighed and indicating looked at Saya, who just smiled, giving up, not able to believe the younger girl. "Hi Jai-kun!" She said happily, turning her attention to you again. "You're going for the bus again?"  
You looked questioningly at Saya, and she shrugged. "Yeah, I guess ..."  
"Great, then we can walk with you!" She said, and you noticed the three other girls being there too. You nodded politely at them, smiling. "By the way, where do you know- err?" She once again motioned for Saya.  
"Ah, that's right. I haven't introduced you. "Girls, this is Saya Nanaimo, she has been my best friend for like ages."  
"I see ..." She faked a smile. "That's nice."  
"Yeah."  
"You know, Jai-" Saya started, but got cut off.  
"Jai! How about that math help we talked about earlier?"  
"Ah ... yeah, about that-"  
"I was thinking we perhaps could do something next weekend, at my place?"  
"Well, I-"  
"That's great! Then I'll see you there. Now," she grabbed your hand and pulled out a pen from her pocket. She quickly wrote down an address. "Come this place at - let's say - 01 PM? That's good, Reiku, Reika, you're coming too, right?"  
"Yes ..."  
"Right!"

You sat down on the bench at the bus-stop, where you looked through your pockets after your cell phone. You pulled it out and unlocked it, looking if anyone had called or anything. "Hm ..." You said slowly. "Saya?" You asked, looking at the girl. "Have Miko called you too?"  
"Huh?" She pulled out her own and looked through it. "Mhm, he has."  
You sighed. "Perfect ..."

_Just perfect! Can the day become better?!_

* * *


	18. Annual Ball Coming Up!

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or any of the Characters!

* * *

-- Annual Ball Coming Up --

* * *

-- Nadjai Mikoishi - a.k.a Jai Mikoi --

-- 13 years --

-- 1-2, Seigaku --

_-- I'm a boy! Damn it! ... and a cute one too ... --_

_

* * *

_

You pressed your face against the window after you had found yourself a seat in the bus. Saya was looking thought your bag next to you, pulling books out. "Wow, they look like they've been used for centuries!" She exclaimed, fumbling with your English book.  
You sighed. "Which they probably have ... This school don't got that much money, you know."  
"What? You mean you ... _recycle_?"  
"Yeah."  
"Wauw ... Commoners are weird."  
You kept quiet and watched the landscape pass by on the other side, wondering. _Why did Miko call? Probably something stupid ... _Miko, being another person not that bad and not only in love with your money, was even more strange than Saya. Of course she had her mood-swings and all, but Miko - well, you should almost think he actually _couldn't _stop smiling. Like he had surgery, making his face frozen like that forever. He was just so _happy_! He was a laugh at parties and all, but sometimes you just wanted him to cry - mean and all, but just to see, if it actually could happen.

Miko Aikido.

_You, Saya and Miko._

In the smaller grades, when you still played with dolls and ripped off their heads, you three had stuck together like glued. Even though they both were two years older than you, they still had the time to be with you.  
Both their parents worked for your dad, being quite close to him. Saya's mom was a secretary for your dads vice director, and that certain director - that would be Miko's dad. So it was like a big circle.  
At parties and stuff you had those two to play with, and you somehow always ended up blowing something up or float the room - how fun! Later, when getting to the bigger classes, they _still _stuck with you - but only when there weren't classes.

_These were your bests of friends!_

"Aren't we supposed to get off here?" Saya asked and you tiredly shook your head, looking at your surroundings. You jumped to your feet, pressing the stop-button. You hushed her to get moving and you left the bus. Saya handed over your bag to you, and you pulled it over your shoulder.  
"Wanna come home to me?" You asked, as you started walking.  
You had arrived at the _fancy _area of town, where enormous villas and manors filled the streets, wonderful gardens, swimming pools everywhere, expensive cars and where everything just smelled of cash. _Why does the bus even go to here ...? _You thought slowly, thinking that would be the dumbest ever. No one here would ever set a foot inside one! ... Well, except you of course. You shrugged it off.  
"Sure." Saya said and smiled. "As long as your father isn't home."  
You smirked. "Not yet."  
"_Lucky!_" You both said in quire and laughed.  
"Anyways, we should call Miko- ..." _

* * *

_

_Beep! Beep! Beep!__  
_Both of you watched the phone, as it started ringing. Saya was in the middle of digesting a muffin, while you just impatiently tapped your foot against the marble floor. You were sitting in the kitchen, that being the favourite place for the three of you to hang out - since the never empty refrigerator and always a chef ready for all your needs.

_Nothing beats food._

_Beep! Be-!__  
_"Mjello?" Said the voice in the other end. It sounded like he was in the middle of eating too, you guessed, since his voice sounded a little muffled and you heard the crunshing sound.  
"Hi!" You called.  
"Ah, it's dork number one!"  
"..."  
"I wonder, is dork number two with you too?"  
"Oi!" Saya said, dropping her muffin. "Why am I _two_?!"  
"Since I'm richer ...?" You offered, smirking. "Now, _dork number three_, that must be you then, you've called?"  
"That's right! Guess what!"  
"What?"  
"It starts with a B."  
"B?"  
"Yes."  
"Bingo! We're going to play bingo!" Saya exclaimed happily - she had a think for bingo ...  
"Err ... no."  
"Aw ..." She pouted and looked like she had already had enough of the guessing competition. You looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and as you shook your head, you came with your own offer.  
"Now, it should be a _ball_?"  
"Ding, ding! We have a winner!"  
You sighed. _Oh no ..._  
"And how did you know?"  
"That would be since it the time of the year ... _and my dad has been even _more _happy this morning. _I figured." 

You really didn't like that ball.  
Every year, on the very same date, a large ball was held for _the upper children of Japan._ That mean, every single kid nearby (nearby meaning an entire country) - who's parents had quite an amount of money - were invited to _a wonderful evening with music, dance and _... Yeah, right. You had - of course - to dress formally, so guess what you had to be wearing? A dress ... yes.  
It was only around two hundred youngsters, but that was still enough. Too many girls all wanting to be the 'brightest star' at the party, too many guys trying to find 'the perfect wife' for later on - as long as they had the looks and the money.  
And _that _really didn't suit you well - since ...

Looks? Pretty much best quality.  
Money? Well ... I guess the answer would be 'Hell Yeah!' here.

_But! _That wasn't the worst part.  
The worst part involved ...  
**  
****Partners.****  
**  
You had to find someone, whom you'd might have a chance of surviving the night with, who could dance and **not **be too snobby. And that left you with ... zero. Or, actually one.

That was Miko.

And look at that, another problem! Since then there was Saya. Saya was invited too, and Saya needed a partner also. You didn't think Miko would be delighted if you decided to cut him over in two, so you girls both could have yourself a dance-partner.  
Then again, who would?

"Well ..." You started, but paused, not really wanting to say it. "Since I went with Miko last year, I guess ... _It's your turn._" God, you wanted to hit something at that moment. Saya looked at you, understanding writing all over her face. You waved it off. "I really don't need your pity. I'll just find a date, dump him and then stand at the buffet rest of the evening. _Actually_, that doesn't sound that bad!"  
She patted your back. "Thanks."  
"Oi, oi! Hold it for a second!" Miko said from the other end of the line. "You two can't just decide who I should go with!"  
"So-" you smirked. "You are saying, that you'd rather want to go with some blonde, who'll only talk about how _long _it took her to actually understand the word _ball_? In stead of one of your rather good friends, who, if I might say so, looks rather good."  
You heard the sigh, and knew you had _won.__  
_"Guess I can't argue with you ..."  
"No."  
"Fine ... Saya, I'll pick you up by eight then ... See you two, I'll go try out a tux."  
"You do that!" Saya said, while gulfing down another muffin. He hung up, leaving you and your friend alone. You stared at her, bored.  
"Ate all the muffins already?"  
"Wha-? Not my fault-"  
"You could have saved some!"

* * *


	19. Time to Shop!

* * *

Disclaimer: I do _not! _own Prince of Tennis or the Characters!

* * *

-- Time to Shop! --

* * *

-- Saya Nanaimo - a.k.a Dork Number Two --

-- 15 years --

-- 3-1, Yanbaru --

_-- People say I'm smart. I can only give them right --__  
_

* * *

After having finished the conversation with Miko, you knew what you had to do. With the most serious eyes ever in a lifetime you looked at Saya. She had the same eyes as you, and stared straight back at you. You nodded quickly.  
"You know-" You started.  
"What to do." She finished for you, nodding too.  
You high-fived over the table, which you were sitting at. "It's time to shop!" You both said in quire and started laughing.

And then you suddenly found yourself, sitting in a limo, Saya next to you. You had had some random idea - which you thought actually was a great idea! Of course you could afford a tailor and a designer, making your dress, but somehow that didn't really suit you well, you thought.

And the reason why? Well, somehow, even though you didn't want to be known as 'the rich person' among rich people, you still wanted to _be seen_. Though, having a designer make the dress for you was wrong, since every time you did that, the clothes looked like everybody else's.  
You didn't mind sticking out of the crowd, rather than blending in, so this time - to this ball - you'd do something, no one have ever done before! _Gasp! _You had gotten the impression, that by buying your dress, already made, it would be something _no one _would be wearing - since they'd all buy designer clothing!  
So you were on your way to the shopping mall to check out the different shops, being quite sure you'd find something that would suit your taste.

Also, as you had told Saya about your little plan, she had decided to come with you, so she was now excitedly jumping up and down in the soft leather (fake of course!), looking forward to see a commoners mall.  
You rolled your eyes at her behaviour, even thought you somehow felt the same ... You'd never been in a commoner's mall either.

"Say, Jai, you aren't worried that someone might _spot _you?" She asked suddenly as she had her face stuck into the mini bar, probably finding something edible. "Then we'd get chased through the city or something by the paparazzi." You shrugged, even though she couldn't see it.  
"Well, not in this!" You told her. You had already thought about what she had said, so now you were wearing some _common _clothes, which you had seen _common _girls wear - a red skirt, a white tank top and of course, to finish it all of, a red cap pulled down over your hair, covering some of your face down to the tip of your nose in shadow. "I'll blend in with the crowd!" You said, throwing your fist into the air. Even though you didn't like to be _un-spotted _you some times had to do so, for the greater cost. "But ..." You paused, glaring at your friend. "I should rather ask _you _that question." Or, more than glaring at her, you glared at the bag, hanging from her shoulder. "I don't think it's very _common _going around with a Gucci bag ..."  
Her head popped up from the fridge. "Well!" She whined, caressing the little handbag. "It just looked so cute!"  
You sighed. _Can't be helped ..._

* * *

One after another, your feet hit the pavement and you stepped outside the limo. You slowly pulled the cap further down over your eyes, as you noticed a few passer-by's looking your way, to see if you were any _celeb_. "Hurry." You hissed at Saya - even though you didn't mean too. But she could hurry just a bit!  
"Hai!" You looked in through the door and saw her - once again - with the head in the mini bar. You rolled your eyes and wanted to yell at her, but for the love of keeping a low profile, you held yourself back. "Come on, come on." You called to her.  
Finally she plopped out next to you and stretched, Gucci back dangling next to her. You gave the quite innocent bag a death-glare, wanting it to end up in flames. "About time - you could have eaten earlier on the way." You told her, keeping an eye on two guys passing by, both sending you looks.  
"I did!" She said, happily, while propping a peanut into the mouth.  
"You eat to much ..." You muttered and tapped the window in to the driver, telling him to just go. He pulled out onto the road and shortly after disappeared among the many other cars, quickly driving by. You looked after it, but then your eyes wandered on and fixed on the mall, not far away.

You had decided it would be better, if you dumped the limo a little away, not making too many of the people in there, watch you. So, you were standing a short walk away from it. You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and started walking. "Coming, _fatty_?" You called out.  
Saya looked up at you from her little bag of peanuts, and quickly she threw it into the nearest trashcan and ran after you, or rather _jumping happily_. "Sure ..." You muttered. "That won't make people stare ..."

The doors slide aside, the cooling air from inside the mall greeted you - it felt nice compared to the warmer temperature outside. You looked around, mouth slightly open - _so this is how a mall looks like? _But you didn't have long to look around, that people pressed you from all sides, making their way in.  
Saya reacted quickly and grabbed your hand in hers, so you wouldn't get split up.

There really were a lot of people, and you guessed they were out to do the daily shopping. People in all shapes - tall, small, thick, skinny. You smiled, feeling quite _blended in _since you spotted some other girls, wearing pretty much the same as you.  
You looked around for the nearest clothes store, and guided over for it, steering Saya after you - or more dragging her, as she was too busy drooling over an ice-cream-stand.  
You walked through the open double-doors of glass and entered a less crowded room. You looked around and saw it luckily weren't filled with too many people. You guessed most were out to by grocery and things like that. _Not fancy clothing. _Also, it didn't look like some discount-store, but their merchandise looked _in.__  
_"Right, let's see what they got."  
You walked over to the nearest stand and started looking through everything, one after another. Skirts, trousers, dresses, blouses. But nothing seemed to be you. _Awful! Ew! What on Earth? ... Where is this supposed to sit? _You held out a blue dress, but quickly after you discarded it again. "Found anything?" You asked Saya, who had stuck her head in between two rows, looking at some behind it all.  
"Nothing!" She called back, voice muffled by the soft fabrics. "Nothing at all!"

You sighed and moved for a shelve with shirts. You unfolded one and held it up against you by a mirror. _Not that bad ... _But not good enough either. You laid it down again and keep on looking.

It seemed that the owner of the shop had kept her eyes on the two of you - or rather the Gucci bag, thinking you'd make some good customers. Slowly, she made her way over to you, flashing a bright smile at you, as you looked up at her. "Can I help you?"  
"Hm ..." You glanced over at your friend, seeing she nearly disappeared, searching for something she'd like. "Yeah, I think you can." She nodded. "You see, we are looking for a dress, a formal one. You got any here?"  
She looked you up and down, head to toe. Slowly, she put a hand to the chin and nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I think we got something your size." She waved her hand at you, as she started walking, motioning you to come with her. You called Saya's name, and she scurried after you.

You passed through a few mannequins and ended up in another 'wing', the clothes there being more _Schick. _The woman stopped up again. "Please, have a seat." She told you, pointing to two round puffs. "Now, what kind?"  
"Um ..." You looked at Saya. "You first?"  
"Hai ..."

And then Saya started telling _her dream _about the perfect dress - or, as perfect as a commoner dress now could be. After she had finished, the owner left for a few minutes, saying she had a few, that might would work out.  
You smiled at Saya. "Lucky we found a good shop right away, isn't it?"  
"Yeah." She looked around, eyes sparkling as she took it all in ... she also had a thing for shopping ...

The woman returned, arms filled with dresses. She handed them over to Saya, and then pointed to a curtain, being the dressing-room. "You can have a go in there, then I'll find some for you." She now addressed you. You nodded, and this time it was your turn to pour out your _deepest dreams_.

And once again she disappeared ...

* * *

You tapped your foot against the floor, waiting, all alone, as you heard a _thump! _and a few curse-words from Saya, guessing she had tripped in something. You laughed lowly, but turned your attention to the owner, as she returned again. "Well, you were harder. But I found two."  
She handed them over to you, and you nearly hugged them, hoping they'd be good enough.

* * *


	20. The Perfect Dress!

-- The Perfect Dress --

* * *

Miko Aikido

15 years

3-1, Yanbaru

_I'm hot, cool and- ... Why on Earth do I have those two as friends then?!__  
_

* * *

Slowly you stripped out of your clothes and slipped on the first of the two dresses. You corrected a fold and looked at yourself in the mirror, hanging on the wall. _Hm ..._

It wasn't bad - quite simple, but still pretty. 

_  
_It was a light purple dress, going to just above your knees. There were a loose fabric in front of the chest, frilled and hold up by two straps. It really was beautiful, yet simple, nothing else to say really …_  
_

You twirled around, taking it in from every possible angle. You also discussed with yourself how you should set up your hair and everything else, if you'd chose the dress. _I like it._

But you weren't done! There was still another, so you let the dress drop to the floor and you stepped out of it. You picked it up and carefully folded it together. Then you pulled on the other on. 

You liked that one too. _Jeez, this'll be hard ..._

This one was different colours of blue. The inner layer of the bottom was dark-blue with frills, outside was another layer in a baby-blue colour, crossing down over your left leg. The top was a corset, blue up to your chest, but white afterwards. The dress had no sleeves, but hold up by straps around your neck.

_Which one? _You thought. This one had a few more details, and would probably be spotted earlier than with the other. It went a little further down than the other, but you didn't mind - since you had the perfect shoes for it._ Err ..._ You scratched your head and thought about it_. "Uh ... can't decide!"_ You whined, still watching you in the mirror. "It's too hard."

"Having problems?" Saya called from the other side of the curtain. She had for about twenty minutes earlier already picked hers, and now she was impatiently waiting for you to decide too. Though, she hadn't ever thought of waiting for you, empty stomached, so she had taken a little trip to the ice-cream-stand from earlier, so now she was sitting on a puff, licking up ice-cream, while you were cursing and having a hard time. "You know-" she said, slowly, looking at the owner, who also stood next to her, waiting for you. "We could see it, if you want?"  
"Alright!" You said, wanting to rip something to shreds. "I'm coming out!" You pushed the curtain aside and glided out onto the floor. You were wearing the blue dress and spun around. "What do you think?"  
"It sure is blue ..." Saya muttered, pushing her vanilla up again, as it started dripping down. You rolled your eyes.  
"I know that ..."  
The woman, being a Jasmine, walked around you, looking at how it fitted you. "It looks good ... But maybe, not you."  
"You think?"  
"Let's see the other, shall we?"  
"Right ..."  
You walked back inside.

"So?"  
"I like the blue one the best." Saya said, eating another ice-cream. You sighed, looking at the food in your friend's hands. You were starting to get hungry too.  
"The blue was better, yes." Jasmine said, nodding. She walked around you once again with that judging look of hers. "Yes ..."  
"The blue?"  
"Yes." They both said.  
"Fine ..." You looked down yourself. _But I still like this one ..._ "Then!" You said, clapping your hands together, a wide smile across your face. "I'll take both of them!"

That sure did make the owner happy ...

* * *

Saya had bough herself a third ice-cream, while you were in the middle of your first. With the two bags in one hand, and your chocolate ice-cream in the other, you walked out of the mall again.

After you had said bye to Jasmine and thanked her for her help, you had walked a little around in the mall, looking at different shops. It was actually lucky, that you had gone into that shop first, since the rest of them didn't have anything your taste.

You had saved a lot of time!

You had sat down and bought some fast-food, Saya twice as much as you, and watched the people pass by. You had tried asking her, what dress she had bought, but she wouldn't say as much as a single word - except surprise. Then you tried getting a glimpse of it or - at least the colour - but every time, Saya spotted you and threw a fry at you.  
"Sorry, sorry!"

You walked down the street to the meeting point, where you had told the driver to wait for you. You had called earlier, so you were positive, he'd be there, when you came.

But of course not ...

You sighed. _Perfect ..._ You glared at Saya, who somehow had gotten a hold of your ice-cream, and was gulfing it down. You didn't have any strength left to argue with her, nor to try and get it back with force. So, you let her have it.  
She beamed at you, while you just rolled your eyes.  
You leaned against a wall, missing with the eyes as you got the sun in your face and pulled down the cap. Then you watched the people walking past you, and also an eye on Saya, so she wouldn't end up getting hit by a car somehow.

"Ah! It's there!" She said and pointed. You lifted your head and watched the long, black car come driving against you. As it passed, people stopped up and looked, following it all the way. _Haven't they ever seen a limo before?_ You thought and stepped to the road.  
It pulled up next to you and the driver stepped outside.  
"Sorry, miss, but-"  
"Doesn't matter." You cut in, waving a hand at the elderly driver. "We didn't wait long." He held the door for you and you kicked Saya inside. Afterwards, you stepped in too, throwing your bags on the seat next to you.  
The driver closed the door and walked around the car, where he, too, stepped inside. Shortly after the engine started and the car drove away - leaving the commoners back, staring.

"This was fun!" Saya said, ice-cream dripping onto the seats.  
You watched the stain and sighed.  
"Right ..."

* * *


	21. Partners I

-- Partners? --  
-- Part 01 --

* * *

Minako Aino - a.k.a. Leader of the Jai Mikoi Fan Club

13 years

1-3, Seigaku

_Marry me Jai!__  
_

* * *

Sleepless you lay in your bed, looking up at the ceiling, pounding about a final problem ...

_Partners ..._

You had your dress, you had the shoes, you had the right date, but the most important seemed to be missing. You sighed and pulled out a pillow from under you. You plopped it down over you, trying to shut out the thought and just sleep.  
But it didn't work ...  
You kept on thinking about it. 

Saya and Miko.

They'd come together, which was alright, but that you would maybe be have to come alone? Or even worse, with someone, who you couldn't stand?! There had to be someone ...

Someone ...

Your eyes started slipping.  
The room turned darker.  
You vision blurred.

... You fell asleep ...

But not before a single thought - a person - went through your head.

_I wonder ... If maybe he would ...?_

* * *

Groggily, you opened your eyes as light shone in through the windows onto you. You muttered something lowly, cursing over having to get up early, just to get to school.  
You slung your feet over the bed and onto the floor, where you searched for your slippers. They didn't seem to be there, so you dropped to the floor, looking under the bed.

Not there ...

_Ah? _You scratched your head, then where? You felt something fuzzy under you and you scrambled to your feet. You sighed. _There ... _You had sat on them. Shaking your head, you pulled on the two pink, rabbit-shaped shoes onto your feet and then you hurried down the stairs, still in your nightgown.

Your parents didn't seem to have gotten up yet, so you ate your breakfast in wonderful silence. You poured lots and lots of milk onto your cornflakes, so it reached up to the edge. Then you started eating, after your stomach had growled angrily at you.  
You snatched your father's newspaper, since he wasn't there - so, why not? You opened up on the first page and started reading. It wasn't really that exciting, something about ...  
Well, you never really did understand it, because shortly after you started spacing out - thinking about the problem from the day before. You had gotten an idea, you remembered, but ... you had forgotten again. You sighed, dipping down the spoon.

Just as you took it up to your lips, you shocked looked back onto your dad, who had spoken up - or rather, yelled up. "Good morning!"  
"What's so good about it?" You muttered, picking up your spoon from the floor. But before you were able to use it again, a maid had snatched it away and replaced it with a new. _That's what I call service ..._  
"Oh, you don't know?" He asked smiling and sat down at the head of the table. He reached out to the paper, and you pushed it closer to him. He spread it out onto the table in front of him, and started reading, knowing it was pissing you off.  
"_What?_" You sneered.  
"Oh." He looked back up at you. "Have you-"  
"Hey, sweetheart!" Your mom had arrived ...

You rolled your eyes.  
_The idiots are back together ..._

"Hi mom ..." You muttered and started eating again, or rather swallowing the flakes quickly, wanting to get away as fast as possible.  
"You've found a date yet for the ball?" She asked, leaning over the table to you. You just bored looked back at her, shaking your head. Her mouth dropped. "Really?"  
"Yes ..."  
"Well, we could probably-?" She started, but you cut her off, already knowing what she'd say.  
"I _can _find someone _myself_."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes." You finished the last spoon and left the table. "See you later." 

You ran up the stairs and slammed your door after you, leaning against it. You let out a sigh. You'd rather come alone than having your mom and dad conjure some _punk_. Even though they were good at picking hotties, but ...  
You'd hear about it the rest of the year from your dad, that was sure.

Suddenly you remembered.

_That smile ..._

Perhaps he would? If you asked nicely ... 

"Worth a shot."

* * *

"Hi, Jai-kun!" Minoka ran towards you, and you paused, smiling back at her. Somehow, you had over the morning come in a great mood. Probably because your mom had hit your dad the morning with the car ...?

_Nah!_

Well, what ever had gotten you happy, you weren't even annoyed as you got somewhat tackled by Minako in a hug. "Good morning to you, too, Minako-chan." You said, smiling, as she once again had let go. "Everything good?"  
"Yeah. Oh, by the way, you still remember we had a date this weekend, right?"  
_Date? _You thought, slowly, trying to remember if you had been drunk or something, promising anything like _that_! Then it hit you, helping her with math. "Yes, of course. This weekend. Don't worry, I'll be there."  
Even though it was the day before the ball.  
"But not for too long, I'm afraid."  
"No, no, that's fine."  
She smiled and waved goodbye, as she ran for class.

The bell rang.

Slowly, you raised your head from the desk, as you had pretty much used the two hours of history to sleep. You stretched and looked around. People had already stood up and were in the middle of packing their books together.

You did the same, yawning. You glanced at the teacher; it didn't seem he had noticed you at all, which of course was lucky. But then again, he was old enough to not even recognize if he was wearing anything at all ...  
It was weird, he was still teaching.

You shook your head and stuffed your (unused) books down into your blue bag, which you afterwards slung over you shoulder. Then you picked up your racket-bag.

It was time to get to practice - and time to ask him.

"Oi, Jai-kun!" Reiku ran up next to you, as you had left class and was on your way down the hall to the tennis courts. You didn't stop, but turned your head to the voice. You raised an eyebrow, as she out of breathe caught up with you. "Perhaps you should try tennis, to do something about that stamina of yours." You asked her, only joking though.  
"Actually ..." She said, looking down blushing. "I was thinking about doing so - since I'd like to be as good as you."  
You waved both hands at her. "I'm not that good-"  
"Yes, you are!" She said, looking up at you again. Then she smiled. "I know you are. And then ... I was thinking, if you'd maybe have time to- if you could, help me?"  
You blinked quickly, staring blankly at her. _Huh? _You didn't see where you were going, so you walked directly into the door.

_Smack!_

You hit the ground and just sat there. Reiku giggled and reached down, grabbing your hand. With her help, you got up onto your feet again. "Since when did that get here?" You asked, confused.  
She laughed. "You alright?"  
"Yeah ..." You looked back at her.  
"Well-" she blushed again, but kept eye-contact with you. "Perhaps this weekend?"  
You somewhat felt your heart sink. You couldn't ... And you really wanted too! "I'm sorry."  
"Oh!" She furiously fumbled with her bag pack. "It- it's fine." She reassured you.  
You laughed in your head of her behaviour, but knew, it was you, who should _reassure _her.  
"I'm sorry- but I can't this weekend."  
"Huh?"  
"You got to remember, I'm helping you with math Saturday, and Sunday I got something to do. But," you patted her head. "Next weekend again?" 

She looked like her life had reached the best second in her life. "R-really?!"  
"Yeah, of course."

You opened the door and stepped outside into the sun. Then you walked for the tennis-courts, Reiku right after you, still looking like a tomato in the head.  
"Thanks ..." She muttered.

* * *


	22. Partners II

-- Partners? --

-- Part 02 --

* * *

Reika Shiina, Reiku Shiina - a.k.a. Second in Command and Secretary of the Jai Mikoi Fan Club

13 years

1-3 and 1-2, Seigaku

_Why does people say we look-alike? - ... Perhaps because we are twins ...?__  
_

_

* * *

_

You made sure no one was inside the boys changing room, before you slipped inside. You weren't really in the mood for half-naked boys, dressing ... You covered both your eyes as you pushed up the door, then, as you heard nothing, removed your hand from one and looked around.

No one.

_Phew ... _You dropped your bag onto the bench and unzipped it. Afterwards you pulled out a pair of shorts, a t-shirt and of course a pair of shoes. Then, to be sure no one would suddenly burst in, you used all of your strength to push the bench in front of the door.  
Clapping your hands, you admired your work, smirking. _That'll keep 'em out! _You pulled on your shirt. _And if anyone asks why, then I'd just say I got attacked by fan girls! Perfect! _You cringed your nose, as you smelled your shoes. _Oh my GOD! _You quickly took them on, shutting off the smell. _That's disgusting!_

Once again you had to fight with the bench, having to put it back where it belonged. You let out a sigh and dropped down onto it. _Just five more minutes ... _You looked at the clock over the wall, you had time enough.  
Actually! - This time you were being early! That was new ... 

But of course, sure you never were allowed to rest, since just then the door was opened and three boys from second year walked in. Your eyes widened, you snatched your bag and left the room, before the boys had spotted you.  
"Did you see anything?"  
"Nah ..."

"Jai-kun!"  
_Ah! Let me back in to the boys! _Quickly you turned around on your heel and headed for the dressing-room again, but, you weren't fast enough. Before you even blinked, your arm was snatched in a hug by Minako.  
You sighed and looked down onto her. She beamed up at you, and you lazily smiled back. "Hey ..."  
She pulled your back around and walked for the courts, while she was talking about ... pretty much anything. "Had a nice morning?"  
"No ..."  
"That's good!"  
"..."  
"What about breakfast? Gotten any?"  
"Some ..."  
"That's good too!"  
"..."  
"Lunch?"  
"Forgot at home ..."  
"That's good!"  
_How is that good ...?__  
_"..."  
"I've made some for you, that's why!" She scrambled through her bag and pulled out a box. She opened it and held it up to you. "See?"_ Well, I don't like that, nor that ... I've never seen that stuff before! _You joked, but thought it as better to just nod.  
"Yeah, it looks delicious."  
She beamed at you again, shutting it tight. "Then you can have it after practice!" She waved at Reika, who had just arrived. "See ya'!" She ran off, leaving you behind - feeling happy? Anyways, she was gone, so that would be happy ...

You walked over to the rest of the players, assembling, feeling a little scared, wondering how you ended up in that mess ... What had you done to deserve being attacked by girls all the time? Let's not forget - you _are _a girl, yourself.  
You stopped up next to the other freshmen and looked as the captain walked onto the court.

_Ah ... It begins ... Again ..._

You had this feeling ... a feeling that the captain had an obsession with running laps, because you sure were set to run them a lot! _And! _- it also seemed, he didn't like you ...  
You hadn't done anything! - this time. But still you were sat to run twenty laps! No fair! 

Just because Arai had teased you again (he never learns) and you had some glue on you ...  
Really, who can let that chance pass?! The rest thought it as entertaining, as the junior was unable to remove the racket from his hand. _Jeez ... Where is your sense of humour? _You growled in your head, aiming a death glare at the captain. He didn't even notice ...

_Oh look at me! Just because I can hit a ball! __That sure doesn't mean you are better than me! _Out of breathe; you stopped up again, having finished the laps-from-hell. You leaned against the fence, and before you knew it, Minako had stuck a bottle of water into your hand.  
There sure were a few good things about those girls ...  
"Thanks ..." You muttered, quickly gulping down all the water, with no rest. You let out a sigh of relief and ruffled up her hair. "I'd be dead without you." You waved at her as you ran over to continue practice.

He also had a thing for swings, it seemed ...

"Freshmen, 100 swings with your rackets!"  
"..."

* * *

"Alright, everyone! Practice's over!" Called vice-cap, Oishi.  
You watched the Mother of Seigaku, pounding about why everyone was weird ... specially the regulars.

_A mom-like boy ...__  
__An evil captain send from Hell ...__  
__A bandana-wearing snake ...__  
__A hamburger-eating pineapple ...__  
__An arrogant little brat ...__  
__A guy with split personality ...__  
__An acrobatic cat ...__  
__A maker of Killer Drinks ...__  
__And ..._

"Fuji-sempai!" 

The light-brown haired boy turned around, looking at you. You stood in the other end of the courts, having yelled with all your might to catch his attention. You looked at your lungs on the ground ... (just kidding XD)  
You waved at him, then you started yelling again.  
"I just wanted to ask-!" You let in a deep breathe. "If you wanted to go to a ball with me-!" You stopped yourself, but too late. _Damn it! _Everyone just stared at you. Two people playing, didn't see the ball, and one got hit - even though he didn't notice that either. Someone running, hit a basket of balls and toppled over. But as he hit ground, he continued staring.

Fuji looked slightly concerned at you. Two reasons for that:  
1. You had just plopped out about - sort of - being a girl ...  
2. Everyone thought a boy had just asked another boy out ...

"I- err. My sister! If you wanted to go to a ball with _my sister_!" You quickly changed it, running over to him, waving your arms furiously - trying to cover it all up. Your eyes were completely wide, as you looked around. _No way in hell ...! _"It's just ... There's this ball at school-" _Lie! _"And she needs a partner ... But everyone there are idiots! So I thought you might wanted to ..." You hid your face in your hands, trying to hide the embarrassed face of yours.

_Ah ...!_

Fuji, at first, looked like he'd say no, but then ...  
The miracle!  
"Sure ..." 

Your head plopped up again. "Really?!"  
"Yeah ..."  
"Thank you so much! I owe you one!" You shook his hands with both of yours, almost so they'd get ripped off. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I didn't want to see _her _go all alone! And I swear, she's not hideous or anything - normal! Pretty!"  
"You don't have to sell her or anything ..." Fuji muttered, shaking his head.  
_He already knows ... _"Right!" You laughed nervously, once again looking around. It seemed that most of the people had let it be, returning to whatever they had been doing.  
Someone dragged the now unconsious boy away to the water-post, while the boy, who tripped, was picking up the balls again - captain Evil lingering over him, ready to say a single word - _laps._

Just as you were about to walk away, ready to hide under a house or anything, someone popped up next to you. You looked at the hyper third year. "Jai-Jai got a sister?!"  
Three others popped up too.  
"Jai-kun got a sister?!"  
_... Huh ...? _You looked worried at the four, all looking at you with big, questioning eyes. "H-hai ..."  
"Got a picture? Is she cute?"  
"Does she look like you?"  
"How old is she?"  
_What did I just get myself into ...?__  
_"She's same age as me ..." You made up. "Twins."  
"You're a twin too?!" Reiku and Reika asked at the same time. Too bad you weren't boys ... If of course there actually had been another! And you were a boy ...  
"Y-yeah ..."  
"Kawai!"  
"Ah ..."  
"Picture?"  
"Not on me ..."  
"You must bring one for tomorrow!"  
"Err ..."  
You were about to run screaming away, as another person popped up. "Ten laps!" Tezuka ordered, sternly.  
"Oi!" You exclaimed, pointing a finger at him. "Practice is over, you can't boss me around." He just looked at you, none of his features changed. "Err ..."  
You looked around for back-up, but noticed the five were already running. _What the-?__  
_"Fifteen laps." He changed it to.  
"EH?!"  
"Twenty."  
"I'm gone, I'm gone!" 

You started running, wanting to catch up with the rest. "Wait for me guys!"

* * *


	23. Calm Before the Storm

-- Calm Before the Storm --

* * *

Yumi Shiina

7 years

Un-known

_Did you take my teddy? Because, if you did ... then, you are dead.__  
_

_

* * *

_

_Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! _Again, and again, and again, you hit your head against the wall. You sat in your bed, rapidly slamming your head into the nearest wall, trying to 'punish' yourself for that stupid - STUPID - thing you had done in school that day.  
"-_with me!_" How stupid can you be? You really did have a first-price at that, that's for sure! _Damn it! _You cursed loudly, owning a crash from the other side of the door.

That vase's position sure was good sometimes ...

Just outside your room, on a little table, stood a fine, blue vase, which you had bought once you had held a holiday in Paris. After you had come home again, you had decided it actually were too ugly to stay in your room, so you had placed it outside.  
And it worked well as a trap for people, listening at the door.

Only one thing wasn't cleared out yet ...

_Idiot number one? ... or two?__  
_"You can come in if you want." You said, plumping down onto the pillows. Your head was turned to the door, and you grinned as your mother stepped in. "Heard anything interesting?" You asked her, your eyebrow scurried up.  
She looked back onto the shards of the broken vase and the maid, who hurried, picked them up. With a grimace, she looked back at you, sending an apologising smile.  
You shrugged. "Didn't like it anyways ..." You told her, still keeping your eyes on her. "Anyways, what is it?"  
"Your father and I was just wondering-"  
"I _have _found someone for the ball, you don't even have to ask, thank you." You rolled your eyes, as your mom glided further over to you. Then you carefully sat down onto the bed, her eyes fixed on yours. You let out a sigh, knowing she wasn't done just yet, and also because you knew what the next question would be.  
"Now, hun', who is it then? Anyone I know? Is he cute? Handsome? Rich?"  
_What's with the last ... Not like I'd need a rich boyfriend. What the fuck?! B-boyfriend?!__  
_"No one you know, no. I guess he is. That too. Dunno." You answered her questions quickly, already starting to turn annoyed on her.  
"Oh, I don't know him?"  
"Didn't I just say that?" You raised an eyebrow once again.  
"Oh, right ... So, cute, handsome?"  
"Do you have to repeat your questions?"  
"Ah ..."  
_Idiot ...__  
_"What's his name?"  
God, why did parents - specially mothers - have to be so ... Bloody curious?! It wasn't anything she needed to know ... well, of course if he was criminal or something, but! You highly doubted Fuji to be that ...

"Fuji Shuusuke- but you aren't going to look him up or something?!" You shot up in the bed, but already by then, the door was shut and you heard your mother's footsteps down the stairs, while she was yelling the name over and over again to your dad.  
You rolled your eyes. _Oh my God ..._

* * *

"How is it going-?!"  
You shut the door shut, as soon as you had seen the two, standing there, both beaming. You scratched your head as you walked away again, not planning to ruin your day - it was _way _to early for this!  
You started climbing the stairs, as the door-bell rang once again. Slowly, you looked back, hiding a yawn behind your hand. A maid rushed over, taking it this time as she figured, you wouldn't again. She hurriedly opened the door and greeted the boy and girl with a bow, as she stepped aside.  
"Hi!" Saya practically yelled up at you.  
You just rolled your eyes and kept walking.

_They should know ... not in the morning. _You thought annoyed, not being a morning person. You yawned again, and continued walked up the stairs to your room, but just as your feet hit the next floor, you felt yourself being hugged from behind. You let out a sigh, but didn't even turn around. "Let go, Saya." You said. "I'm not in the mood."  
"Aw!"  
Miko quickly ran up to the two of you, patting your head, smiling. You just rolled your eyes. "I should have security remove you ..." You muttered, but that just received laughter from them.  
"Right ..."  
You shook your head and walked for your room. "Anyways, what makes you pop up this early? Couldn't you have done ... just a few hours later."  
"It's already close to lunchtime."  
"It is?!"  
You ran for your room, shutting the door, before the two had a chance of getting in. "I just got to dress!" You called. _I'm late! God, I'm late! They'd think I got killed or something ...__  
_  
You had completely forgotten, that you had promised the three girls you'd make math with them today (being Sunday, 01 PM), and you actually only had around thirty minutes before you had to be there.  
"Got to forget about breakfast." You muttered, quickly pulling a T-shirt over your head along with a red/white striped sweater. Then a pair of black pants and a cap to finish it off over your hair.  
You looked at yourself in the nearest mirror. _Perfect! Boy, check! _You thought, looking around for your bag. You found it under your bed - no idea how it got there - and then you stuffed down the books needed along with the proper address, which you stuffed down into your sweaters pocket, after having quickly read it through. You slung the bag over your shoulder and walked for your bedroom door once again.  
You grabbed around the doorknob and pushed open the door. Your two friends both stood there, looking puzzled at you. You just waved as you ran down the stairs once again, calling for the maid to find your (never used) bike for you.

"Oi, Jai, where are you going?"  
"Date!" You called back, knowing they'd freak out over that.  
"WHAT?!"

You laughed and jumped your bike. You hurried out of the enormous driveway onto the road on the other side, where you started racing down to Minakos house.  
_Late! So very late!_

* * *

You sort of just dropped the bike against the yellow, brick-wall, house, walking up the little, neat path, aiming for the door. Slowly, you made sure there were no girlish things over you and then you pressed a single finger against the doorbell.

_Ding! Dong!_

Shortly after you heard a lock and Minakos head popped out, looking relieved at you. "I didn't think you'd come!" She exclaimed. Then she grabbed your hand and dragged you with her inside. "Welcome, welcome!"  
"I'm sorry I'm late, but ..."  
"Doesn't matter, you came!"  
You took of your shoes and unzipped your jacket before following her further into the house. You walked down a hall, where pictures of kids in all ages, hung on the walls - all beaming down at you.  
"This is my room." She said, opening the door to show off a pretty much _only _pink room. _Someone likes pink? _You thought as you followed her inside.  
"Jai-kun!" You were greeted by the two other girls, already having packed out their stuff. You smiled and waved, plopping down onto the chair, which Minako motioned you to.  
"Sorry again."  
"No apologises!" Minako shook it off. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"  
"Well ..." You paused. "I don't want to be a nuisance or anything."  
"Not at all!" She clapped her hands together. "I'll make some tea, and I've baked."  
"Oh ..." 

_I should just come here everyday ... free food - filled with love. _You joked, looking through your bag after your math-books. You pulled them out and dropped the blue bag onto the floor, then placing the book in your lap.  
Both Reiku and Reika looked at you, smiling happily.  
_Ah ...__  
_You decided to start a conversation, feeling a little - stared at. "So, Reiku, did you sign up for tennis yet?"  
She shook her head. "Not just yet, but-" she looked at Reika. "We're joining - all three of us."  
"Oh." _Another reason for them to cling onto me all the time ... _You sighed lowly, making sure they didn't hear you. "That's great!" You - faked. "Now ... What grades do you get in math?" You asked, tilting your head. "I'm a C ... pretty bad."  
"A." Reika said, shrugging.  
"A ." Reiku said, fumbling with a piece of paper.  
"..." You blinked a couple of times, trying to regain your tongue. "EH?!" You stared at her. _A and A ?! _"You two must be geniuses!" You exclaimed, looking at them like they were some kind of Gods.  
Reiku blushed slightly, looking down. "It- it's nothing."  
"I wouldn't really say _nothing ..._" You shook your head. "And you people needed help? Rather sounds like it's me."  
"Well, Minako get's pretty much C too."  
"Luckily! Then I'm not the only _normal - _sorry - person around."

Just then Minako walked in.  
"What are you guys talking about?"  
"How bad I am at math, it seems ..." You muttered, but then you gave her the thumps up. "You go girl, we are both bad at math!"  
First she looked a little - insulted - but then she got over it, thinking it as something good. "Yeah! Then we can help each other, isn't that right?" She sat down, placing a tray on a little table, taking out cups and poured up tea for the four of you. "Please, have some." She handed over a cup to you, and gratefully - and hungry - you took it from her with a thank you.

"Now, let's get the this math-help started!" You said, throwing a hand into the air, balancing a pencil on a finger.

* * *

"I'll see you girls on Monday." You said, pulling the straps of your bag further up, smiling at them all. "I learned more here than an entire year in school." You laughed.

The three girls had decided to do a sleep-over, but since you were a boy ...  
Even though they probably _did _want you to stay, it was just a little off. So, you were leaving, as you anyways had to get early to bed, not wanting to suddenly drown in the punch tomorrow, if you'd fall asleep.  
It was a big day tomorrow.  
You had a date with-  
_A friendly time with a good FRIEND!_

Right. 

Not date, but friendly time together.

Yes.

Nothing more, nothing less!

Yes.

But ...

NO!

Right ...

Yes.

You slung your leg over the bike and continued down the road, once again on your way back home. As the wind blew against your face, you returned to your thoughts about the day, coming up tomorrow.  
Actually, now you thought about it, you still hadn't decided what dress to wear ... but it would come, sooner or later. Hopefully sooner. Not like you'd five minutes before would decide the other would be better.  
The horror ...

You laughed.  
Everything would go alright.  
You wouldn't be alone.  
Saya would be there.  
Miko too.  
And ...

_Fuji ..._

"Friendly quality-time together!" You almost yelled.

* * *


	24. Ball

-- Ball --

* * *

Fuji Shuusuke

15 years

3-6, Seigaku

_What's with the fan girls? They act weird ... Just- keep, smiling ...__  
_

* * *

"Isn't it about time to get up? You're late!" You father called, sticking in his head into your room.  
No answer ...  
"Never mind." He laughed and his head disappeared.

* * *

"Sweetheart, shouldn't you be up by now?" Your mom asked, shaking you slowly, carefully not to set of a bomb or anything. "Else, you'd be late."  
Your eyes opened up lazily, and you looked up at her. You smiled sleepily, but then you discovered, who it was.  
"Ah! Freak in my room! Freak in my room!" You yelled, alarmed. Shortly after your mom had been thrown out, and the door slammed.  
_  
__I knew I should have gotten up earlier ... _You thought, as you went into panic-mode. Even though you had told yourself the day before, to get up early ... well, you weren't that good at remembering things!  
You stressed as you jumped out of bed, the covers flying everywhere. You hit the cold floor and recoiled, but there were no time for that! You ran opened a door into your private bathroom and jumped into the shower, turning on the water.  
It was _after _that, you slipped out of your nightgown, throwing it onto the ground, soaked. _My bad ... _You quickly scrubbed yourself clean and then you toppled over the edge, hitting the floor hard, with your head first.  
"Bloody Hell!" You yelled, rubbing your soar forehead. You stumbled up again and draped a towel around you. Then you walked back into your room and looked at the two dresses, hanging in front of your closet. You tapped your cheek, not really noticing, as you discussed with yourself, which to pick.

_Well, I really do like blue ...__  
_Yes, but the other one is just, beautiful simple.  
_The other is simple too.__  
_No, it's not.  
_Yes, it is.__  
_No.  
_Yes!__  
_No!  
_Dammit! Yes it is!__  
_Fine, then pick that one ... I'm not saying anything.  
_Good!_

So you picked the blue dress. You looked out the window as you dried your hair, watching the white clouds lazily make their way over the baby-blue sky. You also noticed your mom slowly making her way out of the driveway, nearly hitting the gardener on the way.  
You laughed and shook your head. It was weird, she actually got a drivers license. _She probably 'donated' a lot of money or something ... _You thought. It wasn't safe to be on the streets at the same time as her. 

You shook it off and slipped into the dress.

You had to hurry, if you'd make it in time. You had to hurry _a lot_!

* * *

You hurried down the stairs, as you had finally finished your outfit, dress, make-up and hair. Out of breath, you leaned at the railing, feeling like your lungs would collapse or something.  
A maid walked past you, sending a concerned look in your direction. After her came your dad. He smirked as he saw you, and right there - you knew something was wrong.  
_W-what?__  
_"You're finished already?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, glancing at your dress. You let out a sigh and glared back at him.  
"What do you mean?" You asked him annoyed.  
"You've seen what time it is?" He asked, looking at his own wrist-watch.  
"N-no ..."  
"When does the ball start? 8 PM or something, isn't that right?"  
"Yes ..."  
"I see."  
"Dad?" You sighed again, knowing where this was taking you. "What's the time?"  
"3 PM."  
"Noooo!"

There were still four and a half hour until you had to pick up Fuji - yeah, girl picking up boy, but he didn't have a limo! You wanted to jump your dad, but then you'd ruin your dress.  
In stead you sunk down onto the stairs, just sitting there, your head hiding between your legs. You sobbed slowly, feeling frustrated.  
You dad laughed and left.

"Bloody Hell!"

* * *

Fuji's POV  
"Oh, Shuusuke-kun, where are you going?" Yumiko asked you, as you had made sure everything was there, nothing missing. You looked up at her with a continued smile.  
"I promised a friend, I'd go with her to a ball, since there was no one else. You knew that."  
"Ah-" she nodded slowly, smiling too. "I remember that!"

You looked out of the window onto the road, waiting for her to come. Jai - or Nadjai, actually - had called earlier. You had no idea how she got your number, but she had ...  
She had explained she'd pick you up 7.30, and then you'd drive together there - she would tell everything, you needed to know, when you were on your way there - as long as you was wearing a tux.  
It was already starting to get dark outside, as the sun was about to go down in the horizon, for away. You looked at the last streaks of red, orange and yellow, getting mixed up with the dark-blue sky.

"But- a ball ...?" Yumiko asked, sitting onto a chair next to you. "Is it like, a real ball? With princesses and princes?" You shrugged.  
"I don't think so." _Even though it wouldn't surprise me, not when it's her 'kind'. _You thought, thinking Jai would probably be someone, who would be seen with those people.  
"Oh ... Well, if there are any celebrities, would you mind getting an autograph for me?"  
"I don't think there are any, but sure."

Just then you saw the long, dark car, come driving down the road to your house. You expected it to be her, since there wouldn't come that many limos by ...  
You got up and walked downstairs, Yumiko right behind you, being curious.

Just before you opened the door, you glanced at her. "Please, don't freak out."  
"Huh? What- no, why would I do that?"  
"Since ..."

You pressed down the doorknob and opened the door, stepping aside, to show the girl on the other side.

* * *

Your POV  
Just as you were about to knock on the door, it got opened. Fuji stood there, along with a girl, looking like a few years older. Fuji smiled as usual, while the girl's mouth dropped and she stared at you.  
"Oh my GOD!" She pointed to you.

First you just blinked confused, but then returned to reality. You looked questioningly at Fuji, but he only shrugged. You then smiled and nodded towards the car. "Ready?" You asked, ignoring the now hyper-ventilating girl next to you.  
"Yeah ..." He glanced a single time on - what you expected to be his sister - but then he walked out too, following you. "See you later, Yumiko-chan."

You slowly, carefully not to get any folds in your dress, sat down in the car, waiting for Fuji to get in, before shutting the door after you. He sat down and you glanced out of the window onto the girl, who still seemed to be in shock or something.  
You shrugged it off and closed the door as your senior had sat down next to you. You called for the driver to start the engine, and shortly after the black car rolled out onto the street.

It was then, that Yumiko snapped back into reality. She ran out onto the street and looked after the car, slowly disappearing down the road. "That's your date?!" She yelled after you.

You laughed in your head, as you heard it. Then you turned your attention to Fuji. "She's your sister?" You asked, trying to start a conversation - family being a good subject.  
"Yeah, Yumiko." He said, looking back at her and then at the passing houses.  
"Oh, she looks like you ..." You said slowly. Then you smiled at him. "Thank you very much for coming with me!"  
You quickly corrected a strap in your dress, waiting for his response.  
"It's not a problem. I guess it'll be interesting."  
_Me too ..._

* * *

"Also- Please don't talk to the press." You said slowly, as you looked out of the tinted glass onto the world on the other side.  
"Ah, I figured that out some time ago."

From the other side of the door a red 'path' lead its way up to a giant mansion, owned by some wealthy family (like you cared about the name), and along that, behind a golden rope, stood pretty much every reporter in the known world.  
All stood with their cameras and note blocks, ready to scribble down everything you did and said.

Every single person from every single magazine and tabloid ...

"You aren't that stupid, are ya'?" You joked. Then, with a sigh and a final glance at Fuji, to see if he was ready, you motioned for the driver on the other side. As soon as he reached for the handle to the door, the cameras were directed at you.  
The one, they had all waited for, had arrived ...

The door glided open, and Fuji stepped out first. It seemed everyone had agreed to fall silent at that moment - everyone held their breath. You guessed it was because he was _the date of the day_ ... or something like that.  
Fuji held your hand in his, as he helped you out of the car. "What a gentleman ..." You joked, whispering so only he could hear it.

As soon as your feet touched the red carpet, the silence was broken, and everyone went crazy. Blitz after blitz, you felt yourself like a deer in headlight, and you saw spots in front of your eyes. But you were used to it.

With Fuji linked together in your arm, you made your way down the path to the mansion in front of you. The path was illuminated by torches, giving it all some kind of medieval glow.  
- Of course if it wasn't because of the hundred of screaming press-folks ...  
You rolled your eyes, thinking how deep people could actually sink, just to make a living.

"Miss Nadjai, over here!"  
"Young man, please turn this way!"  
"What's your name?!"  
"Where do you know each other from?"  
"Are you dating?!"

You glanced at Fuji, your eye twitching, and you let out a sigh. He just laughed slowly, still smiling his smile. It felt nice somewhat ... to go with Fuji - it wasn't as darn annoying as normally. He was like a shield or something. _Wonder if he'd take a bullet for me ...?__  
_But then, up ahead, something, that could really ruin your mood, waited. The first you heard, was her voice. _God, no ... _"Miss Nadjai! Over here, over here!" You continued walking, knowing the only way in, was past her.

She was from some tabloid or something, you had never really gotten the name, and she was the most annoying reporter in the universe - and that says something! She had even once followed you an entire day, as you had gone on a completely only friendly trip to an amusement-park with Miko. Afterwards, it had ended up in every magazine in the world, that the two of you were dating.

She slipped past the security-guards right at the door and stopped up in front of you, between you and the entrance. You let out a rather loud sigh, and bored looked at her. "Miss Nakamura, if I remember correctly, after your last time of _spying _on me, we took it to the court. I've told you this once, and I'll do it again; stay away from me, or I'll have my lawyers hunting you down. And I really doubt you want that, am I right?"

She seemed to be used to your threats, and waved it off, in stead ordering her camera-man to get closer. He too avoided a guard's grip and now you also had a camera pointed at you.  
"So, miss Nadjai, who is this lovely young man?"  
"None of your business."  
"Is it already over between you and Miko Aikido?"  
"Yes, since there never were anything going on _between _us." You snapped at her.  
"Well," she turned to Fuji. "How did you meet?"  
"I'll tell you something." You annoyed growled. Your hands closed around the camera, as it was pointed to you again. You snatched it away from the man and with a fist, broke the glass of the camera. "And that's to stay away from me, unless you want to have some nice years in jail."

You grabbed Fuji's hand in yours and quickly pushed your way past her, the guards and into the hall. "Miss-!" The reporter called out after you, but she was blocked by the now re-enforced guards.

"I'm sorry, Fuji." You apologised, as you slipped past a bunch of screaming girls, all wanting you to sit with them. You sort of dragged Fuji after you. "I shouldn't have made you-"  
"It's alright." He said, catching your look. You noticed he was still smiling. "It was actually fun."  
You laughed quickly, nervous.  
"_Or I'll have my lawyers hunt you down_." He copied you from before. "I take it, you don't like her."  
"Pretty much, yeah." You craned your neck, trying to spot your two friends. "She's rather annoying." And there, over, away from everyone else, they stood, leaning against the wall, both emptying the buffet just the two of them. "Here, I'll introduce you to my friends."

You made your way over to them, and as they both looked up from their plates, they waved at you. "Hey, Jai!" Saya said, sticking - something - into her mouth.  
You smiled. "Already ripping off the buffet, I see?"  
"Yeah ..." Miko said with his eyes on Fuji.  
They same had Saya, looking him from top to toe. You rolled your eyes - _jeez. _"Are you dating?" She asked, totally not really having any manners.  
"God, behave. This is Fuji Shuusuke, a friend of mine. Fuji, this is Miko Aikido and Saya Nanaimo - both friends, I've known for too long." You introduced.  
"Oi!"  
"Nice to meet you." Fuji greeted.  
"Same with you." Saya said, looking a little - in love ... Tsk.  
"Where do you two know each other from?" Miko asked, glancing at Saya. _Aw ... Jealous?__  
_"Well, it was in the middle of the jungle, I was lost and about to get eaten by a snake. He came, suddenly from a tree, and saved me. After that we went to France - Paris - robbed Louvre, stole Mona Lisa and burned down the Eiffel Tower." You said, smiling - you sure were good at making a bad lie trustworthy.  
"Really?!"  
"Err- no ... As you can see, they aren't the smartest." You whispered to Fuji, rolling your eyes again. "No, we met in school of course, nubcakes."  
"Oi!"  
"Aw, did I hurt your ego?" You asked, taking a drink from the nearest waiter, passing by, handing one over to Fuji too.  
"Oh, please ..."

* * *

Both you and Fuji glanced to the two, sitting to your right. "It's quite scary, actually ..." You muttered to him. He nodded, forgetting he had something on his, fork to it plopped down onto the plate again.  
Saya and Miko were eating _everything _on the table, including your dinner too. The girl glanced at your plate, onto your salad, and with a sigh you used your fork to hand it over to her. Within a second, it was gone.  
"It's a gaping hole ..."

The two other 'couples' at the table looked freaked out on them too, and you decided you'd pull away everyone's attention from the two onto something less ... disgusting.  
The only question was, what to talk about?  
"Err-" You cleared your throat. "Don't you think it's annoying with the press, following you around where ever you go?"

Only thing you could come up with ...

"Not really." A girl with blonde curls said, throwing her hair over her shoulder_. Snob _... was the first impression you got. "I don't mind getting a little publicity - it's both good for me, but also my dads company. I could actually use some more."  
_You can have mine ... _You thought, feeling completely the opposite. "I see ..." You said slowly, cursing yourself for not having changed the attention to another subject.  
"I don't mind either." The other girl said, looking like the blonde-haired, except her hair was red. "I like to be seen."  
_In that? Wow, I'd rather jump off a cliff! _You wanted to puke, hating the table you had been seated at. "Ah ..."

The conversation returned to silence and staring at the two pigs next to you ...

"That's right." The blonde turned to Fuji, flashing her extended eyelashes at him. You mentally rolled your eyes. _Girl magnet ..._ "I haven't seen you around before."  
_Lucky him ...__  
_The red-haired turned to him again. "How come?"  
"Well-" Fuji looked at you out of the corner of his eye.  
"Where do you know each other from?" (Let's call them Red and Blondie) Red asked, icilly glaring at you. _What did I do?!__  
_"School." You said, deciding to join the conversation, before it would go out of hand. "We know each other from school.  
"Oh, that's true. Nadjai, you left Yanbaru suddenly, how come?"  
_  
__Because all of you there are idiots, only thinking about money and beauty - not caring about anything else than yourself and how overly paid off you can live in the future. Because you kept sucking up to me, wanting a treat or something? Because you are snobs and have no brain cells in that completely empty shell, which you'd call a head? That might be why ...__  
_  
"I just wanted to try something else." You stated, taking a sip off a glass of water.  
"We heard rumours-"  
"That I was abducted by aliens, yes. Guess what, I wasn't."  
"Are you in same class?" Blondie asked, still keeping her blue eyes on Fuji, which probably made him feel a little uncomfortable.  
"No, he's my sempai, two years above me."  
"Oh!"  
You rolled your eyes. _What's so oh? _The girls had totally forgotten their own dates, and they were now talking to each other, leaning back in their chairs to get to see each other. You thought it as sad for them ... It probably wasn't fun for them.  
"Anyways, don't you have your own dates to attend to?" You asked coldly, starting to have gotten enough of them. Both looked offended at you, but did you really care? Not one bid.

* * *


	25. Cat Fight? Ideed

-- Cat-fight? Indeed --

* * *

Ryoma Echizen

13 years

1-2, Seigaku

_I only got one thing to say - Mada mada dane ...__  
_

_

* * *

_

_"Anyways, don't you have your own dates to attend to?" _

After you had said that, the atmosphere at the table quickly changed. It was as if, you had suddenly found yourself in an ice storm, the temperature dropping to minus-degrees. You raised an eyebrow, still looking coldly at the two girl sitting opposite you. 

Even Saya and Miko had stopped eating and were now looking from you to them, then back to you. They probably had a feeling what would come soon. They glanced at each other.  
"Ready to run?" Miko's lips moved silently and Saya nodded.

Strawberry and Blondie both glared dagger at you, but you just took a sip of your glass. "I'm just saying-" You shrugged. "But ... of course, it's not something I can force you to. Still-" You leaned forward. "I prefer if you'd rather talk to _your own _rather than _mine_."

It may have been, they finally understood the situation, they found themselves in - feeling your cold glare, or maybe because they remembered the back-up you had (unlimited money).  
But what ever it was, they recoiled and kept silent. You smirked and turned to Fuji. "Say, Fuji, how's tennis coming?"

* * *

Music started to playing.

That horrible, annoying, ear-blowing music.

Who on Earth likes classic music anyways?!

You leaned against the wall, staring at the orchestra, who had started playing a waltz. You rolled your eyes, watching Saya and Miko jumping around on the floor like maniacs, probably thinking that as a waltz.  
Your eye twitched, as you followed them with the head. Just then you spotted the person out of the corner of your eye, and you decided you'd better get started too.

You didn't want Fuji to get bored!

"Err-"  
He looked at you, and you wished terrorists would come and kidnap you or something - just, not dancing! Though, he only smiled, which comforted you just a little bit.  
"Well, would you-"

"Hi!" Blondie from earlier popped up and grabbed Fuji's hand. "You seem to be bored, want to dance?"  
He opened his mouth to answer, but before then, he was dragged off. You were left behind, more than annoyed by then. Did she just steal _your _date?!

Saya and Miko glided over, both concerned looked at you.  
"Either, your face is on fire or you're really mad." Saya pointed out quietly. You glared at her, and she duck behind the nearest table, crying. "_Scary_!" Miko just laughed and ruffled your hair.

No one ruffles up your hair!

Your face turned to him and he quickly joined Saya.

"She's going to kill someone soon ..." He muttered.

You let out a deep sigh and watched Fuji with the blonde girl on the floor - he didn't seem to have that much fun, _and _she was leading. You rolled your eyes again. _Better save him. _You cracked your knuckles and turned to your two friends, smiling.

"I got back-up?"

Both sighed.

"Cat-fight?"  
"Indeed!" You smiled and started walking over.

Everyone there had probably seen you go crazy before, because, as you walked onto the dance-floor, the pairs slowly made their way _off _it. They stood against the walls and you stopped up in front of the two.

You tapped the girl's shoulder and she looked at you.

_You should have run WAY earlier, girly! _You smiled. "Excuse me, mind if I cut in?"  
"Yes."

_Wrong answer._

"Well, I am anyways."  
"No you aren't. Can't you take mine in stead?" 

_Now, why would I do that?_

"Nah, thanks."  
"We're still busy, so, get lost." 

_Worst answer EVER._

"I guess there's no other way." You sighed. "What's your name?"  
"Akara Toji, why?"  
"Toji-" You muttered slowly, remembering the name. "Ah." You beamed. "Congratulations, your family's business has just been bought and destroyed!" 

"..."

She froze, looking at you like she had no idea, what just happened. Actually, it hit you; she wasn't quite sure who you were. Oh well, a little late to warn her, don't you think?  
Her eyes widened. "No, you don't!" She hissed.

You amused raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Really? Is that so?"

Her hand dropped to her side and she let go of Fuji. He wasn't quite sure either of what was going on, yet he walked over next to you. You beamed at him. "Wanna dance?" You asked him sweetly, completely killing of the other girl - you thought, she'd get the point.  
"Err, sure."  
As you made your way over the dance floor, and the music had started playing again, you apologized to him. "Sorry about that, Fuji- but I just hate that kind of people." You shook your head. "They just never learn ..." You muttered.

Fuji waved it off. "I guess it's alright ..."  
You smiled, but shortly after, you wished the terrorists would hurry up - no way in Hell, you'd dance the freaking tango!  
Luckily, - or unluckily? - you didn't have to. Blondie wasn't through with you apparently. This time, it was her turn to tap your shoulder. Already being rather annoyed you turned to face her. You let out a deep sigh. "Yes?"

It seemed she had found somebody, who didn't care for the empires, their parents had built, it seemed. _Oh well, I'll crush them. _Along with four other girls (including Strawberry), they stood, all glaring at you. "Yes?" You repeated, giving the impression, they were all stupid.  
"Hand him over." She just stated, feeling more powerful by then - 5 vs. 1? _That's just fair. _But you weren't alone either. Miko and Saya (who knew it never ended peacefully) had come up to your side, and were now staring at them too. 5 vs. 3.

It wasn't like you could take them all out yourself, but isn't it a lot more fun, if you share the excitement with your buddies? None the less, they joined you - perhaps it was to save some lives too, now they were at it? You'd never know. Only one thing would be sure, this wasn't going to be pretty.

"Why don't you leave already?" Saya asked icily. "I absolutely _hate _wasting my time."  
The five just glared.  
"Suit yourself."

Then Blondie attacked you. Of course, you had seen it coming - the way her stance had changed and all. You were actually a skilled fighter (you and your dad has had your fun), though you didn't expect you to use it today.  
What would they do? Scratch you? Or perhaps go to the next level? - biting?

As she came flying through the air, heading straight for you, you just side-stepped her and she landed onto the floor, with a sickening _smack! _"That _gotta _hurt!" You laughed.  
The music had stopped playing; everyone was watching the two groups. Mostly everybody had already left the dance floor, but the few remaining quickly ran off it too. It seemed Fuji tried saying something, yet he seemed to have problems with doing so. In stead he just sighed and kept back.

Blondie quickly hurried to her feet again and glared at you. _Still at it, eh? _You thought, bored yawning. And with that, she attacked again. This time you weren't really ready for it, not expecting her to come to her feet that fast. You toppled over onto the ground, her on top of you.

Actually ... she had gone to the next level.  
She got a hold of your hand and with her pointy teeth; she bit down into the side, just under your thumb. _Bloody hell! _You tried pushing her off, but she was like an elephant or something!  
As Miko and Saya tried helping, the rest of the girls went into attack-mode too. Two took care of Miko and the two others Saya. Of course Saya had taken self-defence classes since she was four, so those two girls quickly flew through the air shortly after - not understanding what just happened.

In the mean time, you had gotten Akara of you, and you quickly wiped a small stream of blood from your hand off into your dress. You looked at the two marks, feeling your temper boiling. "You know-" You started, your voice low and dangerous. "You have a gap ... right between your two front teeth." You looked up at her and smiled - yet, it didn't reach your eyes. "You should do something about that, it isn't pretty. But-"  
You jumped her, and this time it was her turn to taste the cold floor. "I'll make it bigger for you!"

It seemed, Strawberry _also _was a material arts master, since she kept Saya with company, and both of them was running around like crazy, aiming kicks at each other at every opportunity.

Miko ... Well, he still had trouble with only two girls ...

You squired over the floor as she had pushed you off with her legs. You felt your dress rip just across your stomach, as she had a hold of the end. You kept on toppling around; acting pretty much like lunatics - Fuji still weren't sure what was going on.

_Crash!_

Thousand and thousand pieces of glass flew through the air, as both of you hit through it. Everything went in slow motion, while you dropped from second floor. _Huh? _

Before you knew it, you plunged down into water. Luckily you had both hit the pond outside the window, which took most of the impact. Water found its way into your mouth and nose, as you were too shocked to close them.  
Your lungs started filling, but as fast as you had gotten into it, as fast you got out again. Your head rose to the surface and you gasped in air. Akara came up next to you. 

Above you, two stores up, head popped out of the window and everyone looked concerned down onto you. "Jai, are you alright?!" Saya yelled concerned. You just waved up to her, not having enough air to talk.

_Flash!_

"Huh?" You turned your head against the flash of light and you cursed in your mind. Your dad would never shut up about this ...  
The paparazzi had somewhat climbed over the walls and into the garden, since every one of them had gathered around the pond and was now taking pictures as if their lives depended on it. You rolled your eyes and stood up. You looked down onto the girl. "There ya go, I got you some publicity." You told her, smiling annoyed and walked for the shore, drenched in water from top to toe.  
_This is not my day ...__  
_ _

* * *

_


	26. The Day After

Haha, I forgot to say ... 'You' are wearing a wig at the ball . just so you know, completely forgot to put that in somewhere!

* * *

-- The Day After --

Kikumaru Eiji

15 years

3-6, Seigaku

_Sugar! I need sugar! Nya!__  
_

_

* * *

_

"Okay-" You slowly, yet firmly, dragged Fuji with you out of the mansion once again, Saya and Miko right after you, both laughing their heads off. Still dripping wet and with a towel over your shoulders, you walked down the red carpet to your limousine, waiting for you.  
Next to you, the owners of the mansion and their daughter ran next to you, trying to calm you down and apologize - no one wanted your wrath to come upon them. "Miss, I'm sorry - we promise-" The woman tried, removing a leave from your hair, though you pushed off her hand.

"No." You just stated firmly. You had no intention of staying there a second longer.  
"But-" She tried. You just turned your head at her, giving her an icy stare. She quickly backed away. But, the two others were still left.  
"We'll ban then from here always!" The father cut in, he too, trying to make things just a little bit brighter.  
"Dad! They are my friends!" The girl turned to her father, pretty much the same time as you. So, in stead of only you, he also got stabbed a few times by his own child.  
"Sir," you started, taking a deep breath. "It's not your problem, I will not let you become responsible for this, don't worry. If any, then you'll know who." And with that you stepped inside the limo, having finished the conversation completely. Fuji came in after you, still not having said a word.

Saya padded the man's shoulder and then she followed, still grinning broadly. Miko - being the _only _one a little sensitive - stayed back. "Don't worry, she isn't really mad - She actually enjoyed it I think!" He said, smiling as usual.

"Miko, get in here right now! Or we'll leave without you!" You snapped from the inside of the car, feeling rather annoyed.

He grimaced. He glanced to the car. "She's fine." With a nod, mostly trying to tell himself that, he came in too, giving a final flashy smile to the cameras.  
Of course the press had followed it all - and got it on tape - so you'd be sure to hear about it soon. The driver closed the door and the cabinet was filled with a not so comfortable silence. You glared at the nearest person, being Saya, since you just had to make someone burn.  
She wasn't even affected. In stead she leaned her head onto Miko's shoulder and started giggling. "That was fun!"  
"Indeed!" Miko joined her.

_I should push you both out ... Without stopping the car first. _You thought, your face now turning into something more saddened - you really had hoped it would have been more fun. You grabbed around the towel and placed it over your head, hiding your entire face from the rest.  
"Here she goes ... sulking ..." Saya whispered, looking at you now worried, but then she turned into a smile. "Now, Fuji, how did you think of it all? Don't we just know how to party?-"

You didn't hear anything else, because you closed up into yourself - letting everything else outside.  
You just wanted to be left alone ...

* * *

"I'm sorry ... Fuji ..." You muttered, slowly letting the towel run down over your face. You turned your head and looked at him with a dark face. "I'm sorry I dragged you into all this ..."

Fuji didn't say anything. He just turned his head the opposite of you, looking out the window in stead. You couldn't even see, if he was smiling. You really did feel bad ... You had wanted to have fun with Fuji at the ball, and to show him everything and introduce him to your friends ... Not start a fight and end up falling out a window from the second floor.

**Yet that hadn't happened ...  
You had messed it up ...  
There was no way he'd still be your friend after this!**

"Sor-"  
"It was actually quite entertaining ..." He said slowly, still not looking your direction. Though, you could see it now - he was smiling.

**Then again ...  
It hadn't been the first time ...  
Miko and Saya had been out to the same ...  
They sticked with you still, though!  
There was still hope!**

He then turned to you, a smile on his lips - as usual. "Next time, I hope I'm invited too."  
"R-really?!" You asked him, your face lighting up immediately. He wasn't mad at you, he still wanted to go next time. _There's going to be a next time?! Darn ... _You could count on him for that too! As long as you'd beat someone up ...  
"Of course." He said. He reached out with a hand and wiped a few leaves from your hair. "But-" He paused, picking up one of them - holding it between two fingers, examining it. "Isn't this going to be in the news or something?"

"EH?!"

"Well, there were a lot of guys from the press ... And they can probably get something out of this story."  
"What story?" You were pretty blank at this point.  
"They did freak out me being with you ... _and _you pushed someone out a window."  
"First of all, she pushed me ... and, WHAT?!"  
"Just saying-"  
"I got a plan!"  
"Really?"  
"Yes, yes!" You nodded. "I know these guys ... With enough money they'll kill everyone you want to have killed, they'll blow up everything you want to have blown up, and they'll kidnap everyone you want kidnapped-!"  
"Where do you know people _like that _from?!"  
"-We could make them blow up _every _of the press' buildings! And then they can't come out with it! And we'll send up a satellite, which will block out all the transmissions - all across the world!" You started laughing evilly, thinking about how to do it all 'the easy way'.  
"Right ... we could do that, or-" Then Fuji started talking about _his _plan - a plan, which would cost less human lives, if any at all.

_

* * *

_

_Right, I just have to keep a low profile, and no one will notice me! _You told yourself, which you had done all day.

In P.E you had pretented to be an obstacle, so no one would notice you. Which had ended up in quite a bunch of people had to limp to the nurse, since nobody was aware of an obstacle there ... in the middle of dodge-ball ...

In math you had ... well, you had just continued sleeping like always ... No one noticed you there either - except the teacher. But hey! What can he do about it?

_And _in a rather boring lesson of what-happened-back-then-when-the-Irish-still-went-around-in-skirts (not like they still do that!), you got so shocked, when someone spoke to you, that you actually jumped out from the window ...  
Like _that _don't make you spottable!

But now you were heading for tennis practice, feeling like your head would explode (you had had a nice talk with the principal for destroying a window), and prayed to God no one would mention your little ball yesterday, nor that you'd have to run laps.

"20 laps for being late!"

Never mind ...

Of course the always jolly captain was ready to greet you with his usual greeting, and then you had to start running right away. Everyone laughed lowly as you started running, but you stared killingly at them, making them shut up. _Fear my Glare of Death! _You looked around for your fellow plan-in-law, but he wasn't there yet.

"Keep running, Jai!" Your favourite fan club of all times had decided to show up again today. And they seemed to have made a banner, how nice ... You shook your head at them, yet smiled and-

_Smack!_

You had run directly into a pole. _Since when has there been a pole here?! _You thought as you stepped back, trying to regain your balance. It felt like your skull had been broken into two and your (if any up there) brain had taken a lot of damage. Your eye twitched, as you grabbed around the pole to keep standing. 

"Jai!"  
_Here comes the aid ... _You thought. Minako grabbed around your arm and looked at you worriedly. "You alright?"  
"Except I got a pole in the head, sure." You told her ... Well, except your eyes went in two different directions, and then you probably had it just fine. Then you got flocked by the rest of the girls, which couldn't run in supernatural speed like Minako, and they too, wanted to hug and kiss your wounded forehead - and pride.

"Don't worry, girls, I'm fine. Just fine." You reassured them, feeling the glares from the captain. _Ah, can't even get rest when wounded ... He'd probably let a person play, even though they'd might have gotten a broken racket in the eye and the blood running down, so he can't see ... He's no human! _You stood up perfectly normal, though dizzy, and you started running again.

There were still 15 laps to go!

Once again you came running, this time in your 10th lap, when you suddenly heard an outburst from one of the regulars - your brain just managed to grab a memory of a name: Momoshiro?  
Then you ran into the pole - again - as you heard, what he yelled.  
"Since when have you dated the Killer Chick?"

_Smack!_

This time, two concussions in a row was just too much for anybody, so you dropped to the ground. Your eyes turned completely blank, yet still you could hear the conversation going on. 

"Killer Chick?" Fuji walked over to the rest of the regulars, and they all gathered around him. "What are you talking about?" He laughed innocently, but glanced sideways over at you - half dead on the ground.  
"Nadjai Mikoishi, of course!"  
"I'm not." He just stated.  
"Of course you are!" Out of pretty much no where, Momo pulled out a magazine (a woman's magazine).  
"Where did you get that from?" Eiji asked, popping up on the junior's shoulder.  
"It's my mom's, ok? Anyways, look at the front page!"  
A colonial 'oh!' when through the crowd, as they all stared dumbfounded on the cover. Fuji was smiling, not looking the way at the camera, while you looked like you'd attack the man behind it anytime. The worst part of it all was of course the headline:

**Nadjai's Secret LOVER?!**

You regained consciousness, and found yourself in the arms of an in-Heaven Minako. But even though there was a court between you and the guys, you could still read the sign - who wouldn't?! That thing could be seen from space!  
Your mouth dropped.  
_LOVER?! I'm 13 for Christ sake! _You had a faint idea, who had written it ... That annoying, irritating and so very much dead reporter, Nakamura, was most likely the evil villain behind this!  
_Dead! Dead! Dead! Oh, so very dead!_

"You're dating the most attractive teen of the century?!"  
Your head snapped up. _Uh, who said that? _You smirked._ Attractive? Oh my ...__  
_"I'm not." Fuji continued trying to tell them.  
"How did you meet?"  
"I'm still not."  
"Is there anything between you?"  
"Do you people even listen?"  
"How long have you been going out?"  
Fuji by then decided, he'd might as well just keep quiet ... not like anything he'd say, would infect their brains ...  
"Say-" Inui suddenly popped up, a note book in his hands and a gleam in his eyes. "Weren't you supposed, on that day, to have gone to a ball with Jai Mikoi's sister?" 

Every single head turned your direction.  
_Bloody hell ..._

"I- still need to run some laps ..." You excused yourself and jumped to your feet. Then you started sprinting around the courts, trying to shake off their questioningly looks of puzzlement. The captain should be proud of you - you had never run this fast before!  
"Oi, Kiddo! Come back here!" 

But, even though you tried running away (how to do that in circles?), you shortly after found yourself being tackled, tied up with ropes and dragged back to the regulars by Momo and Eiji. "Eh? EH?! You can't do this, you're my sempais! It's- it's just wrong! I haven't done anything! Help! I'm being kidnapped!"

No one seemed to listen - the rest, none regulars, actually just let you be - it was normal or what?! You got put down on the ground again, next to an, also tied up, Fuji. He just smiled at you. "You actually think this as funny?" You asked him annoyed.

Momo's face was then very close to yours and he pointed a flashlight directly at you. You looked at it, freaked out. "What's that supposed to do?!"  
"Spill it!" He ordered you.  
"Spill what?"  
"Spill the beans!"  
"What beans?!"  
"What do you have to do with Nadjai Mikoishi?!"  
"Nothing!"  
_Except I'm her and all that ... Just a little lie.__  
_"Don't lie to us! We know it. You asked Fuji, if he wanted to go to a ball with your kid sister, but on that day, he went to another ball - with Nadjai Mikoishi!"  
"I don't know what you are talking about. And you don't have any evidence I've ever said that."  
But then it didn't surprise you ... not at all, not even when Inui pulled out a recorder. "Want to hear?"  
"N-no thank you ..."  
"I know!" Eiji suddenly exclaimed, pointing a finger at you. _Please stop sticking things in my eyes ... _"I've figured out your secret!"  
Both you and Fuji stared at him, wide-eyed. _Secret?__  
_"You are-"  
_Oh my God ...__  
_"-Related to Nadjai! She's your sister!"

_NO! Or- _"Yes! I am!"

* * *


	27. Thank God for Stupidity!

-- Thank God for Stupidity! --

* * *

Kunimitsu Tezuka

15 years

3-1, Seigaku

_Look me into the eyes, then say no. __No? 100 laps!__  
_

* * *

"Eh?!" The regulars all stared at you, as if they couldn't believe it. Fuji pretty much stared at you the same way. You glanced at him, and then shrugged lightly. You then tilted your head and looked at them all.  
"Now ... I've already told you that, can I go now?" You motioned for the ropes, yet they all were just - frozen. You raised an eyebrow. "Hello?"

_Silence ..._

"Ah ..." You tried wriggling out on your own, but failed miserable. You sighed and sunk into a dark dimension. _Guess not ... _The rest of the guys had finally pulled themselves together and now they were talking among each other. "He really is?"  
They glanced at you.  
"Really?"  
They looked you up and down.  
"They look like each other."  
They pulled up a picture and held up next to you.  
"Yeah, he said they were twins, remember?"  
They nodded. 

_Mind stopping that? It's annoying! _You complained in your head.  
"Oi! Cut me loose already!" You yelped at them. "It's no fair! You can't do this, just because of my family! I got nothing to do with that!"  
"Oh really? You've been deleted from the will? That's why you go to this school and not some fancy one? What did you do? Had a fight with your dad? Ran away from home? How come we've never heard of you? Is you a shadow in the family? The black sheep?"

"..." Your mouth dropped. "Eh? S-sorry, but I couldn't keep up with that."

"Alright!" Suddenly you once again found a finger stuck pretty close to your face, as Eiji pointed to you. "How come you go to this school?"  
"Err ... I like it here?"  
"Wrong answer! As if that's why!"  
"Ah ..." You sighed again. "Because I don't always want to be compared to my ... sister ..." _What the Heck am I supposed to say?!__  
_"Aw!"  
_Eh?__  
_"That's so cute!"  
_Eh?!__  
_"You really are in her shadow, aren't you? Is she smarter than you? More popular?"  
"Actually ..." You paused. _Let's see ... how can I compare myself to a none-existent person? Uhm- _"I'm the smarter of the two ... Or, I get better grades. Yet, about popularity, she always had a little more, since she ... Well, she got out in society a little earlier than I did."  
"Eh?"  
"I didn't want all that publicity ... I knew it would end up getting ... weird." _Oh my God, what to say? What to say?! _"Anyways ..." _Ah ... _"I was also ill the last three years, and I've just gotten back on my feet - and then if I showed up in the society ... there would just become a big fuss about it all and I don't want that." You rolled your eyes mentally, while sighing. "Now-" You glared at them all. "Mind untying me? I'm getting pissed off!"

Everyone around you recoiled - except Fuji (still tied up too) - and stared at you. You then started laughing nervously. "S-sorry about that, hehe ..."  
_Ah ... I wanna go home already!__  
_"No, we're the ones who are sorry."  
"We shouldn't have tied you up."  
"No, you shouldn't have." You stated bluntly.

Shortly after the ropes around you were removed and you were able to stand up again. You stretched and tried getting blood into your numb fingers. "Well ... that was fun."  
You glanced at Fuji and shook your head. Then you turned to the guys again. "You know, I'd prefer if you didn't tell this to anyone." You smiled innocently. "Else- I know these _guys_, neh? Fuji?"  
Fuji smiled unsure. He knew exactly, who you were talking about. The, _"will kill anyone you ask for them to kill"_. You just started laughing, and the tennis-regulars stared at you in shock.  
"Huh?"

You waved furiously with your hands. "Never mind!"  
_Dunno if people would get mad if I had the regulars assassinated?__  
_"But that is still so cute!" Eiji exclaimed.  
_Eh? You're still at it?__  
_"You are living in your sisters shadow!"  
"..." _Ah ...__  
_"Why don't you claim the throne?"  
"What throne are we talking about ...?"  
"The Throne of the Rich."  
"The ... _eh_?!"  
"You - since you are a boy - is the true heir to the Kingdom of Gold!" He pointed to you.  
_Eh? _"I'm at a loss here ..."  
"I think I understand ..." Momo started; now nodding too.  
_Great ... go talk with the freak and leave me be then?__  
_"Isn't it normally the boy, who heirs the company after his parents? So, what he is saying is you'd get it all when your mom and dad are gone."  
"Yeah, that's true. And?"  
Now pretty much everyone pointed to you.  
"You are the heir to the Kingdom of Gold!"

You just turned around and walked away.  
"What ever, don't care."

"OI!"

* * *


	28. Fan Girllism at its Best

**Hello, hello! --waves-- I.Hate.Running here - this part, where I normally will just talk and talk oh! and talk some more - is going to be known as IHRHC (I Hate Running's Happy Corner). Just to you all's information! First of all - thank you very much for the many reviews --cough--six--cough-- It was more than I expected!**

**Well … when I first posted this story I had taken it from my account on Quizilla, so … it was just if anyone here would like to try and read it - you might have gotten ideas for your own stories, who known?! But - I'm close to 3000 hits by now (more than expected too -.-) - so I guess it's pretty much liked or something (no?), so I wanted to post yet another chapter as I've had some requests or whatever. :)**

**So! Here's my thankies! (I'd appreciate if **_**others**_** read the reviews too, because there might be some info or whatever do I know - I'm only writing it!)**

**To **_Lonely Salsal_** - Weeeeelllllll … Don't know if it's a thank you, but I understood, what your point is! Yes, it **_**is**_** a story where I made a girl cross-dress and get her into the boys' team (Dang, that's one lucky gal) - and I doubted too, that anyone would read it - I'm not even sure, if you'll ever read this! XD Ha! The mysteries of life - you never know what you'll get (though I hope for a strawberry ice-cream!). But, I'm rambling - as usual - so … I don't think it's **_**that**_** normal - well, except it's pretty Mary Suish to cross-dress etc. - but she's so much not like the others! First of all, she's **_**the**_** rich**_**est**_** in the **_**entire WORLD**_**! Right, everybody else just got a heap of gold - but this girl here, she got a MOUNTAIN of gold! … Doesn't that make it even more MS? ………………… But, well - I hope, that people who doesn't like this kind of story just … bug off (sorry 'bout the French). :) Thank for the review!**

**To **_pontaalover_ **- Right, first of all - do you read ALL of my stories or what? Damn, I really love you, you know? You're one of my favs, always reviewing - I can TRUST YOU! Well … I'm glad you liked it a lot … and about the soon-to-be-updated part … --looks at date-- Is this enough answer? --wipes off dust-- Let's get this started again, ne?**

**To**_ invisible-gurl_** - Thank you very much for liking it! When I read your review, I somehow imagined a person, sitting with a laptop (I'm guessing it's a laptop - could be something **_**else**_** O.o) and making the neighbours freak out, sell the house and leave as fast as possible. But … what do I know?! XD Here's another update (at last!) so I hope, I won't make the cops drag you away - we don't want to loose a reader, now do we?**

**To **_DarksAngeloftheNight_** - another one of my favourite reviewers (excuse me while I hang you on the Wall of Fame. --pauses-- Ahhh! There hangs a great gal!) And now --breathes in-- THANK YOU SO MUCH! You love my stories, I'm so happy! And yes, you do not have a life, as you state yourself so very clearly - but hey! Let's go have no life together! --runs off into the sunset-- Once again, thanks!**

**To**_ kur-chan_ **- first of all, I'm probably the same as you … I don't like unorganized (phew, hard to spell -.-) things nor the problem with too little spacing between paragraphs! But! Here's my pathetic excuse XD Well … as you might know I posted this from Quizilla. At first I just used the good old Ctrl and then copi and then pasted it onto Word. But, here I looked it through for typos and stuff like that (I tell you, there was **_**a lot**_**!) and then I just made a document on fanfiction. I didn't know it came out like that T.T And being more lazy than … well, than any other person in the world, I did nothing to it. Therefore I'm thinking about finishing up this story (only a few more chapters) and then I'll re-write most of them :) except those chapters with reviews XD I'd like to keep those!**

**To** _LovingMystery0927_ **- Once again, thank you, you too! And yes, I think she's screwed too - or, I mean I **_**know**_** she's screwed since --gasp-- I'm the author! Mwuhaha! The power is in MY control! --writes on paper - note to self: World Domination-- Here's an amazing update (or … something else, but don't know about amazing … haha …) and I hope you'll enjoy it!**

**That's about it … isn't it? --glances around-- I hope so … Right! Let's get on with it. First of all, sorry about the lack of pretty-ness in the previous chapters, but as I explained to **_kur-chan_ **I'm going to do something about it when I've finished this story! This might continue for around … well, I might stretch it to 10 more chapters, but we'll see!**

**Oh yeah, and I've always in the beginning of each chapter come with a character description, but I've dropped that out of it all - but there's a surprise at the end of the chapter! :)**

**This story is not as long (each chapter) as **_Powerful Rikkai Dai_** as that are around 3000 words, while this normally was in-between 700-3000. Normally, around the 1200 or so. **

**Now, let the story commence!**

**--pulling curtains away and reveals stage--**

**How the heck did that come in here?!**

**………………… What the …………………**

**MeMeMeMeMe--I feel self-centred-MeMeMeMeMe**

**-- Fan Girl-lism at its Best --**

Even though they had all stared after you, trying to get in contact with you and getting answer to all their _silly_ questions, you had continued walking. Gracefully away, trying to ignore their shouts. _Don't mind, don't mind_. You told yourself, even though you could feel it prick at your neck.

_Living in your sister's shadow …_ It may even be that your _sempai_ had somehow gotten onto the right tracks, but still … you weren't living in your _sister's shadow_ - as he nicely had put it - no, not at all! You were living in _your own shadow_, which was actually more pathetic …

_The throne of the Rich_. Well seriously, was EVERYONE in Seigaku _that_ stupid?! Yes, yes, it was true, you _were_ the heir but way to go, pointing that out … because, why again had you come to that (crappy) school in the first place? _To get away from it all … _you mused in your mind.

You walked into the dressing-room where you quickly changed, keeping your eyes on the door too, if a boy (or girl, which was totally obvious there wouldn't!) burst in, to then, as quick as a fox, jump down under the bench, covering yourself with the shirt. Now _that_ wouldn't be obvious …

But luckily you managed to unseen get dressed and leave the room, no one around as both teams were in the middle of practicing. But what you didn't know, as you slipped out through the door, was that two, green-clad girls were watching you from the shadows, hate written … well, all over at least one of the girls' face. "I'll get you for this, Mikoi!"

**MeMeMeMeMe--I feel self-centred--MeMeMeMeMe**

Returning to the happily unknowing you, that was making your way to the school gate - completely ignoring that you actually had practice (and the captain would kill you later on I might add) - and freedom. Yet, as you were about to step out onto the pavement on the other side, you once again got a feeling of being _watched_ …

_Hmm …?_

Slowly, you turned your head backwards, glancing around. Thanks to many years of finding journalists and photographers on stakeouts, your now skilled eyes easily made out two girls, watching you from around a corner. "Oh?" You muttered lowly, eyebrow scurrying upwards. "Fans?" The tip of your lips curled upwards. Yet still you grimaced. "As long as they aren't going for any of my clothes …" You thought, remembering as you had been to a party once, where one of the celebs got attacked, stripped and left on the ground by rabies-hit fan-girls.

So, deciding to be on the safe side and _not_ get attacked, you started walking again, hurrying away from the school-grounds. But once again you were unable to step outside the perimeters. "TAKE COVER, JAI-KUN!"

Before your reflexes were able to kick in, you found yourself tackled to the ground by … none other than Minako. _What the … heck?!_ You thought, falling through the air and - when painfully making an impact with the ground - wondering how often this actually happened to you …

Having your face only pressed against the pavement, you were unable to see anything that was going on, and therefore had to rely on your hearing. "Reika, Reiku, take them out!"

_HUH?!__ Take them out?!_

That rather _odd_ outburst was then followed by some more cries, the sound of something _exploding_ and … other stuff, which you were unable to make out what was exactly. "O-Oi! Minako, get of off me! I want to see!" You cried out to her, trying to shake her off. But in stead she started dragging you off, away from the crime-scene and back to school. "I. Want. To. See!"

Finally you managed to pry yourself away from her and ran back around the corner, towards the school-yard. And … you froze in mid-air, staring at the _thing_ going on in front of you. _I can't possible live in the real world … no way … this is some crazy fiction or something. Because, THIS CAN'T BE REAL!_

The two twin-girls from your fan-club were battling it all out with the one other (the fourth girl only watching), somehow dressed as people from Star Wars. At that very moment, your eyes popped as you in disbelief watched it. Then your brow furrowed, wondering. "Why …" You started off, watching them running around, slinging light-swords at each other. "Why are the ones fighting for me … the bad guys …?!"

"Jaiiiiiiii!" At first you wanted to run away, before being tackled again, but … too late. Minako hugged you from behind, tears in her eyes. "You can't just run away from me like that, I was worried!"

_What am I? Your younger brother or something …? I sure don't hope I'm your pet?!_

"Think if they'd spot you! Think about what they'd possible do! They could hurt you, or- or kill you perhaps!"

"Sorry, Minako-chan … but I'm at a loss here."

"Alright, alright!" The girl shook her head at you, as if you were stupid or something?! "I'll explain it to you."

"Thank you." You then retorted sarcastic, since you were starting to get ticked off. Well … it was _you_, who apparently got attacked by some girls from your school, thinking of themselves as Jedi's, and it was _you_, who got tackled to the ground by your - apparently - bodyguard! Who was the victim? _You_. Who was the only one not being in on anything? _YOU!_

"You see … those girls are from a different fan-club and, since they want the best for their own idol, they take out others, so that theirs will stand on top."

"…" _Of course, why didn't I figure it out - it makes perfect sense! _You rolled your eyes, not even bothering with freaking out, but rather going with the flow and see where it would lead you. _NOT!_ Because, it would probably end up with you tumbling over a cliff … or worse … "So …" You started off slowly. "Are you saying they were sent out by someone to … assassinate me …?"

Minako nodded quickly, still trying to get you to come with her away from the battle. Yet you stood firmly on your feet, not wanting to move before it was over. _Too awesome!_ Well, _too awesome_ if - of course - Reiku and Reika didn't loose, since … that would end up in your death. _Say, perhaps I actually should get out of here?_ That was apparently your conclusion … that was, of course before the twins decided to go into sync (also seen in tennis …) and totally annihilated the enemy in one, final blow. The only thing left was … dust …

"Wow …" You whispered, now starting to question your sanity - which everybody else had done years ago. "A person just got totally blown off Earth in front of my eyes … that's not something I see every day …"

Minako once again shook her head at you, _also_ questioning your sanity - well! As you thought it was a bad thing, she actually found it _cute_. So, whose sanity should we question?! "Of course they don't kill off people - though I might add, we would for you-" _Right … _"No, no, we've captured her, along with the other."

"That's … great …" _I think? Then again, they _were_ trying to kill me, who says they won't go for it again?!_ And so, while the two girls were presented in front of you, you pondered if you should either let them live (giving of the chance of you being killed later on) or ordering Minako to murder and bury them under a bridge (which you actually thought she'd do - it _was_ for you). As you looked down on the two, you were absolutely split between the two options. One of the girls, the one thinking she was some great actor from Star Wars, was rebelliously glaring back at you, seeming as if she didn't care she would perhaps have been a murderer at that time (_thank you, my loyal bodyguards_). The other rather looked like she had been dragged into all this (just like you) and … was on the brink of tears somehow too.

"Mikoi-sama, what should we do about these two?" Minako asked, shaking the defiant one's hair. Though, you were too busy wondering; since when she had started calling you _Mikoi-sama_. Really, you weren't royalty or anything! Not what she knew of (third cousin on mother's side's; aunt's; nephew's; son-in-law's; little sister; who is married to the queen of Shiba's second son - but! That's another story …!). You laughed inwardly, but as _everyone_ stood, staring at you and waiting for an answer, you snapped out of it.

"Right …" You chuckled nervously, waving your hand. "Let's hear their explanation. And if I like it, we'll might let them live. Ne?"

Minako seemed to question your judgement, but dared not to go against her beloved's orders. So she in stead vended her anger and annoyance on the nearest one, pushing the girl onto her knees again, as she was about to stand up. "Stay." She hissed, making you recoil just a little. _Am I sure I'm on the good side in this?!_

"…" Then you blinked, once again snapped out of the trance. "Right! What about telling me your name to start off with?" _Let's try with the good cop!_ … which only made you receive a glare, ten times worse than the sun. _Or not …_

At first she looked like she'd rather bite of her tongue than answer, but after Minako had whispered something in her ear (you only heard something about "immense pain"), she lowered her head and muttered out her answer. "Osakada Tomoka …"

"I see." You nodded, _still_ being the good cop - even though it seemed that made you an 'easy target' - go for the weak I tell you! "You seem to be a freshman, am I right?"

"Yes."

"Aha …!" You smiled at her, which made you get in return … a look that told everything - "I want to kill you". Quickly shaking it off, you turned to the other. "And you seem like a freshman too. What's your name?"

"R-Ryuzaki Sakuno …" She stuttered, glancing side-ways at the girls around her, murder written in their eyes.

Your eyes narrowed. "Ryuzaki … Ryuzaki? I've heard the name before …" Then it hit you. "Ah! Are you possible related to coach Ryuzaki?!"

"H-hai! She's my grandmother …"

"Ohh …" This made your eye go into a serious attack of twitching. _I feel laps coming up …_ "Right, let's quickly skip ahead!" You said nervously, feeling scared that your fan-club was holding the _Devil Coach's_ granddaughter a hostage. "Why again were you trying to … assassinate me, for a lack of better words."

"Because you were stealing the spotlight from our beloved!" The red-head decided to join the _conversation_ again, once again defiance and murder written all over. You raised an eyebrow, somehow being able to match her quite well with a certain president of another club. A club that was admiring the air you breathed.

"So … who's your beloved?"

"The prince!"

"… I can think of more than one prince at this school …" You said. Somehow the image of you (not on purpose, I'll quickly add) stepped into the dressing-room as the regulars were changing. Embarrassing, but dang! It was worth dying for! Quickly keeping your drool _inside_ your mouth, you started talking again. "Which one?"

"The only freshman in the tennis club!" _Oi! Just leave me out - I'm not _that_ old! … Am I …? _"Echizen Ryoma!"

"Oh, Echizen Ryoma!" You clapped your hands together. "I should have known! That cocky little bastard, right?" Perhaps that was the wrong choice of words? Anyways, it resolved once again in Reiku and Reika going all out again the other girl in a battle, which Minako decided to join and … You glanced at Ryuzaki's granddaughter and smiled, deciding to completely ignore it. "Well … I'm going home." You waved at her and turned to leave. But then you paused, turned back again and grinned apologizing. "Sorry 'bout the whole incident … please tell your grandmother, when she hears of this, that I had nothing to do with it! Thanks! Bye!"

And then you finally disappeared in a cloud of dust, running for your life before you were spotted.

MeMeMeMeMe--I feel self-centred--MeMeMeMeMe

**Corner of Crack**

The Shiina-Twins about

_Blood_

"It's red."

"Oh, that's figured, isn't it?"

"What do you mean by that?!"

"Well, nothing at all! Except _everybody _knows that blood is red!"

"I'm sorry that I'm not as smart as you, Einstein! Jeez … I was only starting off slowly …"

"Tsk … How lame."

"Then why don't _you_ say something too? So far I've said more than you!"

"Fine. Sticky."

"_Sticky_?"

"Yes, sticky."

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?! Stupid me - I pity myself for not being as smart as you … why did I have to be the stupid twin?!"

"Don't feel so bad … bird-brain."

"Bird-brain?! Who's a bird-brain?!"

"You."

"That was a rhetoric question!"

"…"

"Don't you dare ignore me!"

"…"

"Stop it! I'm telling mom!"

"…"

"You want to have a go at it, huh?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

"Well, fu-!"

**Censored**

_We're sorry, but we're having __trouble with the main cable, please enjoy _Nadjai about Candy

"It's sweet, isn't it? I don't know … Well, I know it tastes good, but I don't know how you make it or anything! So … I'm not sure … what exactly am I supposed to answer? No! Wait!

Is this a trick question?"

_Once again, sorry … It seems that the question was too hard and … she … passed out … Please enjoy the black screen until we return!_

……………………………………………………

MeMeMeMeMe--I feel self-centred--MeMeMeMeMe

**IHRHC! Right, at last I've updated! Isn't it amazing! Well, don't know what you think so I'd appreciate some reviews etc. Just click the little button, left corner!**

**Others than that, if you are wondering about future updates (not only this story, but all of mine), then go to my bio. I've just made a schedule - so you can see it there!**

**Else there ain't anything. So off you go and review and I'll give you a cookie and perhaps even a fast update! :)**


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